In the distance, you can hear the whistle. The enforcement of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) regulations is on its way. While everyone knows the regulatory environment related to ESG matters is shifting, it remains doubtful that everyone anticipated the brisk pace and follow-through of regulators in this arena.
Who are the players?
While historically, the accountability arm in ESG was relegated to investors and social media (or even traditional media from a “name-and-shame” perspective), a dramatic shift has happened over the past few years in terms of agency participation in accountability at the state, federal, and international level. Now, agencies such as the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the United Kingdom Advertising Standards Authority, class action litigants, and others are seeking to provide additional accountability and enforcement measurements.