Shareholder Advocacy: Issue Areas
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Corporate Accountability |
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Toxics and Environmental Health |
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Climate and Energy |
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Wilderness and Biodiversity |
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Water |
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Food and Agriculture |
Corporate Accountability and Responsibility
Green Century believes that sustainable business practices should be built on regulatory policies that serve the environment and the broader public good, not just short-term business goals. While attention to specific environmental issues is critical, effective corporate governance and accountability within a company are equally necessary to ensure legitimate corporate sustainability. Green Century works to encourage companies to increase disclosure of political contributions and other lobbying efforts and to publish sustainability reports, which are all key measures of a responsible company.
2012 Issues:
- In 2012, timed around the second anniversary of the controversial Citizens United Supreme Court decision, Green Century and our allies at Trillium Asset Management announced a first-in-the-nation initiative to encourage companies to protect against risk and refrain entirely from using treasury funds for political purposes. This is the first time institutional shareholders have asked corporations to halt all political spending.
- Transparency and Disclosure of Political Contributions - As trade associations play an increasingly key role in shaping policy, it is more important than ever for companies to be transparent and accountable for their political contributions. Shareholders need to know that corporate funds are not used in a way that may harm the environment or the long-term interests of the company. We are encouraging companies to adopt comprehensive policies to ensure transparency and accountability in their political spending.
- Transparency and Disclosure of Lobbying Expenditures - In this election year, it is critically important for shareholders to understand how company resources are being spent in efforts to change both elections and public policy. Enhanced lobbying disclosure will enable them to better evaluate business risk associated with their companies’ efforts to influence regulatory and legislative processes so we are encouraging companies to increase transparency and disclosure on all lobbying expenditures, including indirect funding of lobbying through trade associations.
- Comprehensive Sustainability Reporting - Following the dictum, "what is measured is managed," sustainability reporting often provides the first step for companies seeking to reduce their environmental impacts. We are encouraging companies to adopt thorough sustainability reports and work toward lessening their environmental footprints.
