The COP conundrum
We need only take a cursory check of global weather in recent months to remind ourselves of the consequences of climate change. Over the summer, record temperatures in parts of the US, in southern Europe and in China affected the lives of an estimated 110 million people who regularly experienced temperatures above 40°C. In May and […]
Spectrum Q3 2023: No robots were harmed in the making of this report
In a 1962 collection of short stories, sci-fi sage Arthur C Clarke postulated his third law, that “any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic”. Now, as we push through the second decade of the 21st century and into a future seemingly set up for AI, Clarke’s law appears more apt than ever. Through the […]
Investor dissension mounts as temperatures rise
Shareholders continued to call for change at companies this year, bringing a raft of proposals in the US and Europe on collective bargaining rights, climate lobbying, child safety in the digital realm, animal welfare, racial equity and tax transparency. Executive compensation also came under scrutiny as the cost of living crisis continued. Meanwhile, as Europe […]
Japanese reforms ignite investor optimism
Shareholder activism has been on the rise in Japan over the last few years, as institutional investors have grown increasingly frustrated with some companies’ poor governance practices and the slow pace of change. High-profile scandals, such as that at Toshiba, have heightened the pressure on companies to be more responsive to shareholders. Now an update […]
Public Engagement Report Q2 2023
Fast reading Widespread use of synthetic pesticides to protect crops and boost yields poses risks to the environment and human health How the latest Japanese corporate governance reforms can help drive shareholder value Climate lobbying, collective bargaining and tax transparency among the issues addressed by shareholder proposals this voting season Chemicals and pesticides have been […]
Federated Hermes Stewardship Report 2022
This year’s report now features the stewardship activities of our infrastructure and private equity investment teams. Monitoring engagement outcomes is crucial in ensuring our approach is effective and achieves the desired results. As such, this report contains new and updated examples and case studies throughout to demonstrate how our approach works in practice. In our […]
Counting the cost of the climate crisis
Investor groups and standard-setters have called on companies to follow best practice guidelines and fully reflect climate-related risks in their financial statements. That means companies should disclose how climate change and decarbonisation commitments are being captured in their accounting assumptions and judgements. Are their accounts aligned with a 1.5°C world, as set out in the […]
EOS at Federated Hermes publishes engagement priorities for 2023
EOS at Federated Hermes, one of the world’s largest stewardship service providers representing client assets of US$1.3 trillion, has launched its 2023 Engagement Plan. The plan, assembled in collaboration with its clients, identifies the focus of its engagement with companies in the year ahead based on the most material drivers of long-term sustainable wealth for […]
Federated Hermes strengthens its global stewardship business
Based in London, Ross will be responsible for leading the development and delivery of EOS’s Engagement Plan for corporate and public policy, and market best practices across Asia and Global Emerging Markets. Over the course of 2022, EOS engaged with 270 companies across these regions. Ross has deep experience in asset management and stewardship, with […]
Animal farming and ESG: a sector where some are more equal than others
The animal farming industry entered the pandemic widely regarded as an ESG laggard: a sector noted for its high greenhouse gas emissions, unethical treatment of livestock, and intensive land and water use, and a leading global cause of deforestation. The Farm Animal Investment Risk and Return (FAIRR) initiative found the industry has done ‘too little […]
