Insight into how corporate lobbying is coming under greater pressure
Rebecca states, ‘the challenge for investors lies in gaining visibility of companies’ lobbying efforts. Contracts to third-party lobbying consultants can be undertaken using vague descriptors in accounts, while quantifying a company’s legislative influence can be a challenge. Gaining this insight is becoming a core focus for investors. Investors continue to seek additional disclosures around a company’s lobbying activities to see how well aligned these are to their own sustainability objectives,”
“Investors are also looking at the quality of the lobbying disclosures. For example, the company’s rationale for its lobbying activities, disclosure of the company’s overall lobbying expenditures, board and/or management oversight of lobbying activities, and description of this oversight.”
Investors promoting change on ESG issues
When discussing how lobbying relationships may still be powerful and challenging to gain oversight of, Rebecca explains this is especially the case if companies could be accused of greenwashing if their lobbying practices do not tally with sustainability targets.
“Investors remain a powerful force for change, excluding those companies that they believe are poor performers on ESG metrics and investing in those that they deem to be leading/improving on ESG issues,”
Read the full article featuring Rebecca here.
