Insights

The future stability of the global financial system depends on ambitious targets, and clear pathways to accelerate the carbon transition, emerging out of Glasgow, Louise Davidson writes.

ACSI welcomes the inquiry’s recommendations about strengthening the legal framework for cultural heritage protection. Strong legislative frameworks provide investors and businesses with more certainty in managing material financial risks relating to cultural heritage and Indigenous rights protection.

The upcoming AGM season is an important opportunity for investors to assess whether executive remuneration is aligned to the performance of companies they invest in, Louise Davidson writes.

Workplace health and safety impacts every Australian worker. An incident or fatality at a workplace has a huge impact on the individual, their family and their colleagues, and it’s an issue that investors should be made aware of, Louise Davidson writes.

Climate change is the greatest ESG challenge facing investors today. The World Economic Forum rates ‘extreme weather events’ and ‘failure to mitigate or adapt to climate change’ as two of its top global risks. In recent times, all three of Australia’s financial regulators – APRA, ASIC and the RBA, have acknowledged the potential magnitude of climate-related impacts.

Eradicating slavery is a mainstream corporate responsibility that is now enshrined in law. Under the new Modern Slavery Act, Australian business must report on their exposure to modern slavery risk – this includes superannuation funds. ACSI research identified financial services as a high-risk sector for modern slavery - funds that don’t manage their exposure may face legal, reputational and financial consequences, Louise Davidson writes.