EOS INSIGHTS

Burberry case study Burberry has reaffirmed its commitment to find alternatives to incinerating surplus stock in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic and set a science-based carbon reduction target. 23/09/2020 - Lisa Lange

The coronavirus and the race for a vaccine With the coronavirus pandemic set to continue without an effective and widely-available vaccine, all eyes are on the pharmaceutical sector. 23/09/2020 - Katie Frame

Mizuho Financial Group case study Mizuho has made a commitment to ending financing of new coal-fired power plants and reducing exposure to coal-fired power plants to zero by 2050, the only Japanese bank to makes such a commitment. 10/09/2020 - Janet Wong

A voting season like no other With many companies opting for virtual shareholder meetings, how did investors ensure their concerns about climate change, diversity and human rights risks were addressed? 09/09/2020 - Amy Wilson

Antimicrobial resistance and the challenge for pharmaceutical companies A lack of research and development into new antibiotic classes compounds the serious threat that antimicrobial resistance poses to public health. 28/08/2020 - Kimberley Lewis

Repsol case study Repsol became the first oil and gas company to commit to a net-zero goal by 2050, supported by a decarbonisation pathway with interim targets, setting a higher benchmark for the industry. EOS has engaged with the company since 2013 on its climate action and targets. 21/08/2020 - Andy Jones

EOS Partnership with The Enacting Purpose Initiative EOS at Federated Hermes is continuing to move corporate purpose forward. 20/08/2020

Nintendo case study Nintendo has appointed a woman to its board for the first time in its 130-year history. EOS continues to engage with the company on improving board gender diversity in line with investor expectations, seeking more transformational changes on the executive board and in the talent pipeline over time. 18/08/2020 - Dr Christine Chow

Fighting infection – animal welfare and antimicrobial resistance The coronavirus has highlighted the importance of being well prepared to respond to emerging global health threats. 03/08/2020 - Dr Emma Berntman

Plastics and the circular economy In April, EOS at Federated Hermes published a white paper – Investor Expectations for Global Plastic Challenges. This set out the scale and complexity of the problem and offered investors ways to engage with companies in three key sectors – chemicals, consumer goods and retail. 29/07/2020 - Amy Wilson

Public Engagement Report Q2 2020 The Public Engagement Report highlights some of the stewardship activities undertaken by EOS at Federated Hermes on behalf of its clients over Q2 2020. 28/07/2020

Q&A: AI and financial services Janet Wong, an engager for EOS at Federated Hermes, talks to Dr David Hardoon, a senior AI adviser to the Union Bank of the Philippines, and the former chief data officer and senior AI adviser to the Monetary Authority of Singapore, about AI and data governance in financial services. 21/07/2020 - Janet Wong

Protecting biodiversity through sustainable land use How do deforestation and industrialised agriculture contribute to biodiversity loss, and why should companies ensure sustainable land use throughout their value chains? 02/07/2020 - Sonya Likhtman

Beyond the box-ticking: what really makes a board function well? At the end of April, EOS at Federated Hermes published a white paper Guiding Principles for an Effective Board – Insights from Engagement. 12/06/2020 - Jaime Gornsztejn

Does the coronavirus mean the end of the fast fashion trend? With high street fashion stores closed due to the global pandemic and unsold stock piling up in warehouses, fast fashion is under pressure as never before. 09/06/2020 - Lisa Lange

Climate change and infectious diseases As we manage through the coronavirus pandemic, we must not lose sight of the systemic risk posed by the climate crisis. 05/06/2020 - Nicholas Spooner

Cobalt mining in the DRC – reflections from the ground Dangerous working conditions and human rights violations are among the risks faced by cobalt miners in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). 01/06/2020 - Marcus Wilert

G4S case study EOS began engaging with G4S in 2009 on health and safety management. Read about the company's progress on our labour rights objective. 21/05/2020 - Claire Gavini

Q&A: How companies can address gender bias in AI How can the private sector address the gender digital divide? In the second of our two-part series on AI and gender bias, we look at ways to tackle the issue. 14/05/2020 - Katie Frame

CTBC case study Following embezzlement allegations and earlier sustained efforts to restructure its board, CTBC actively responded to engagement from EOS. 11/05/2020 - Dr Christine Chow

Q&A: AI, other emerging technologies, and gender bias There is evidence to suggest that the underrepresentation of women in the technical and developer workforce reinforces gender inequality, as biases are unintentionally built into AI algorithms. 06/05/2020 - Katie Frame

The coronavirus and our relationship with nature In this series, we will explore the links between infectious diseases, environmental issues and social sustainability, alongside the role of investors and companies. In part one, Sonya Likhtman looks at how the destruction of ecosystems can increase the risk of pandemics. 04/05/2020 - Sonya Likhtman

Public Engagement Report Q1 2020 Our cover story this quarter looks at how the financial services industry is embracing artificial intelligence (AI) and the issues this poses due to the greater potential for unintended bias, regulatory infringements or bad business decisions. 30/04/2020

Guiding Principles for an Effective Board - Insights from Engagement Investors care deeply about how well a company board is functioning. Getting this aspect of governance right makes it more likely that material risks and opportunities will be well managed. 29/04/2020 - Jaime Gornsztejn