What’s the state of climate expertise on the boards of the companies in your portfolio? We provide a regional analysis and offer a framework to help investors make their own assessments. 

As proxy season nears, investors looking at how companies in their portfolios are working toward establishing and meeting climate goals may find it useful to note trends around shareholder say-on-climate proposals. 

For some investors, having a climate-savvy director on a company’s board may seem like a non-negotiable. But data from some of the world’s biggest greenhouse gas emitters shows that successful climate governance is complex and may require more than just pinning your hopes on a climate superstar.

NGOs have filed a lawsuit against BNP Paribas, arguing that bank has failed in its “Duty of Care”, under French law. As climate-related litigation escalates, we take a closer look at BNP’s financed emissions. And then, lawmakers have mandated the inclusion of female executives on the management boards of large German companies. We look at how things have shifted at this early stage and what that means for governance.

With the banking crisis raising questions about boards’ risk oversight, we analyze the level of independent risk-management expertise on the boards of banks by region to see how well they may be positioned to navigate the current volatility.

Banks failing, another sold and governments stepping in to backstop the fallout. Add to that a global economy coping with high inflation and still shaking off the COVID-19 cobwebs and, on top of that, regularly scheduled meetings for two major central banks. Our panel of MSCI experts helps put these events into context for investors managing multi-asset-class portfolios.

South Korea’s government has proposed a change to laws governing working hours. We look at why the proposal has not been well received by some stakeholders and what it could mean for how companies manage their workforces in future. And then we look at how shareholders’ approach to climate engagement might be changing, but also staying the same.

Corporate boards are key in helping companies navigate economic and social disruption. Introducing more climate-related experience, more women and appointing younger directors are three key factors that could help strengthen boards.

Say-on-climate shareholder votes are on the rise globally. Are they a distraction to real climate efforts or an effective way for shareholders to engage management?

“Say on climate” proposals are making a splash at 2021’s AGMs. But for skeptics, these proposals my raise more questions than answers. And another hurricane season has battered the gulf coast, creating social disruptions and a reeling oil & gas sector. We dig deeper into climate models and the trickier corners of physical risk.

A low carbon alternative to maritime shipping is coming to the market. The largest shipping company in the world, Maersk, has ordered eight vessels propelled by cleanly made methanol instead of an oil-based fuel. But their shipping costs will increase by 15%. So who is going to pay for that? Then, the German government adopted a new gender diversity quota that will require certain listed companies to have at least one woman on their management board starting in 2022. But will it work? Listen to find out.