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The rise of the ‘anti-ESG’ movement is gaining momentum in certain circles of the capital markets. Meanwhile, there is increased emphasis on the role of companies in delivering a smooth and ‘just’ energy transition.
ESG appears to be at a crossroads, and understanding the changing expectations of stakeholders will be critical for listed companies in 2023.
To help IR, governance and sustainability teams at public companies understand expectations for ESG reporting and communications in today’s environment, IR Magazine and Governance Intelligence hosted the ESG Integration Forum – Winter 2023. View the agenda and speaker sections below to see what was discussed.
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08:15 AM
Registration opens
08:55 AM
Welcome address
09:00 AM
Regulatory update: New disclosure requirements and implementation timelines
As we wait for an update on the SEC’s climate disclosures rule, California has lead the charge
on climate reporting, setting the bar on TCFD-aligned disclosure and providing a blueprint for
other states to follow suit. In this panel, we’ll discuss the national and global impact of the
California climate disclosure laws, how they align with the expected SEC rules, and how both
rules align with other global standards and frameworks
Mia Overall, vice president, ESG, Newmark
Sandy Peters, senior head, CFA Institute, and investor advisory committee member, SEC
09:30 AM
ESG data management: Managing a paradigm shift
A paradigm shift is underway moving from voluntary and unstructured ESG data and sustainability reporting to mandatory and standardised sustainability disclosures. In this panel, we’ll share how well established global governance and data management best practices help issuers develop a robust ESG data culture.
Moderator: Ben Maiden, editor-at-large, Governance Intelligence
Raj Dave, chief securities counsel and assistant corporate secretary, Newell Brands
John Truzzolino, director of business development, Donnelley Financial Solutions
10:00 AM
Fire-side chat: Refining your ESG narrative
Daniel Labovitz, co-founder and CEO, Green Impact Exchange
10:20 AM
Coffee break
Private roundtable: Conducting a comprehensive materiality assessment
Steve Wade, head of content, IR Magazine
10:50 AM
Preparing for the 2024 proxy: Meeting shifting shareholder demands
Despite lower majority support among shareholders, the 2023 proxy season set a new record for the number of ESG proposals. In this panel we will analyze the trends from this year’s proxy, track how shareholder sentiment is changing with regards to E&S issues and discuss how to apply the lessons learned from 2023 in 2024.
Laurence Taylor, senior conference producer, IR Magazine and Governance Intelligence
Dana Eddis, associate general counsel – corporate, Corteva
Greg Reppucci, senior director, sustainability & corporate governance, Morrow Sodali
Michael Rouvina, assistant general counsel – corporate governance and securities, Lumen
11:45 AM
Telling your ESG story in 2024: Communicating and reporting effectively
Market uncertainty, inconsistent reporting and rolled back commitments have left many feeling disillusioned with the ESG movement. Here our speakers will discuss how to reframe your ESG narrative and report ESG information in a way that is both compliant with international standards and valuable to investors.
Moderator: Carolina Murphy, director, advisory & corporate insights, CECP
Prabh K. Banga, vice president, sustainability, Aecon
Wesley Gee, chief sustainability officer, Works Design
Gina Jordan, manager, sustainability and ESG policy, Enbridge
12:30 PM
Leveraging technology and upgrading your ESG toolbox
In this panel we will discuss how new technologies are helping to companies to identify which ESG issues are material to their businesses, improve efficiencies in collecting and managing data (including scope 3 emissions) and optimize their reporting and engagement process.
Moderator: Laurence Taylor, senior conference producer, IR Magazine and Governance Intelligence
Ed Miller, director, investor relations, Q4
Quentin Weber, director, investor relations, WSP
13:10 PM
Lunch
14:10 PM
Managing a Just Transition: Balancing environmental and social priorities
Businesses have a salient role to play in leading the transition to a net zero economy, but various social and financial risks need to be accounted for. In this panel, we’ll discuss how accelerating concerns around climate change and mounting ESG fatigue are impacting strategic decision making, how IR and governance teams can support their board to manage these risks and opportunities, and how to ensure your company’s sustainable transition is fair and equitable.
Ben Maiden, editor-at-large, Governance Intelligence
Alexandra Higgins, managing director, Okapi partners
Mary Morley, head of corporate communications & ESG, Sterling Infrastructure
14:50 PM
Buy-side Q&A: Investor ESG priorities for 2024
Here we will discuss how investors are integrating ESG into their investment decisions in
2024
Laurence Taylor, senior conference producer, IR Magazine and Governance Intelligence
Kiran Aziz, head of responsible investments, KLP
Bruce Kahn, senior portfolio manager, Shelton Capital Management
Erika Karp, chief impact officer, Pathstone
15:30 PM
Closing keynote: ESG outlook for 2024
Our final session of the day will recap how discussions around ESG are shifting, and what to
expect – and prepare for – next year. How are global priorities expected to change, and
what does an effective ESG governance and communication strategy look like in 2024?
Moderator: Steve Wade, head of content, IR Magazine and Governance Intelligence
Jennifer Motles, chief sustainability officer, PMI
15:50 PM
Champagne roundtables
Help yourself to a glass of bubbly and discuss the topic with your peers in a highly interactive roundtable discussion.
Roundtable topics
Steve Wade, head of content, IR Magazine and Governance Intelligence
Ben Maiden, editor-at-large, Governance Intelligence
Ron Llewellyn, counsel, Fenwick & West
Laurence Taylor, head of content, IR Magazine and Governance Intelligence
16:30 PM
Closing remarks and networking drinks
Laurence Taylor, senior conference producer, IR Magazine and Governance Intelligence
To inquire about future speaking opportunities, contact [email protected] or +44 20 8004 4818
Mary Morley
Head of corporate communications and ESG
Sterling Infrastructure
Bruce Kahn
Senior portfolio manager
Shelton Capital Management
Beth Sasfai
Partner
Cooley
Beth’s practice focuses on advising public and private companies, investment funds and their boards in a broad range of corporate matters, with an emphasis on their ESG matters, including sustainability reporting, board oversight and disclosure controls, and shareholder and stakeholder engagement. She has extensive experience developing robust environmental, social and governance (ESG) strategies and driving forward a wide range of ESG initiatives, from corporate governance and board affairs to ESG reporting and shareholder engagement issues – and more.
Before joining Cooley, Beth served as Verizon’s senior vice president, governance and chief ESG officer. While at Verizon, she was responsible for the company’s ESG strategy, disclosure and related stakeholder advocacy while leading a cross-functional team of lawyers and sustainability professionals responsible for corporate governance policy and board affairs; ESG commitments, reporting and engagement; business and human rights; digital trust and safety; compliance with corporate and securities laws; legal support to investor relations and external reporting; and advising on other general corporate matters. She also served as a management liaison to the Corporate Governance and Policy Committee of the Verizon board of directors, the committee charged with overseeing sustainability, governance, public policy and reputational risk.
Previously, Beth was vice president and associate general counsel, litigation for Verizon corporate. In that role, she was responsible for litigation and dispute resolution nationally for Verizon’s corporate, wireline, wireless, and enterprise and government businesses.
Daniel Labovitz
Co-founder and CEO
Green Impact Exchange
Quentin Weber
Director, investor relations
WSP
Edward Miller
Director, investor relations
Q4
A seasoned executive with over 20 years of expertise in investor relations, corporate communications, and serving as a trusted spokesperson within the global financial markets. Proficient in navigating the intricate landscapes of FinTech, Biotech/Pharma, and Wellness sectors. Demonstrated track record of creating award-winning investor relations initiatives by fostering dynamic communication strategies and precision-targeted programs, yielding significant upsurges in website traffic and social media engagement. Distinguished service as the former President of the Quebec Chapter of the Canadian Investor Relations Institute (CIRI) during two tenures, from 2005 to 2007 and from 2009 to 2012.
Erika Karp
Chief impact officer
Pathstone
Gina Jordan
Manager, sustainability and ESG policy
Enbridge
Carolina Murphy
Director, advisory and corporate insights
CECP
Greg Reppucci
Senior Director– Sustainability & Corporate Governance
Morrow Sodali
Greg Reppucci is Senior Director of Sustainability and a member of Morrow Sodali’s Corporate Governance Consulting Group. He analyzes companies’ environmental and social issues through a governance lens, helping ensure a holistic approach to environmental, social, and governance (“ESG”) topics.
Greg provides guidance on best approaches to ESG issues by identifying relevant topic areas for disclosure and advising on different reporting frameworks and standards, responses to stockholder proposals, and preparations for stakeholder engagements. He is a SASB Fundamentals of Sustainability Accounting (FSA) credential holder, is versed in relevant reporting standards and frameworks, and helps structure disclosures to address shareholder and key stakeholder concerns.
Previously, Greg was a member of the Sustainability Office at PepsiCo and focused on the annual development of their sustainability reporting suite. Earlier in his career, Greg was involved in climate and agriculture-related research at Columbia University’s Center for Climate Systems Research and the NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies.
Mia Overall
Vice president, ESG
Newmark
Michael Rouvina
Assistant general counsel - corporate governance and securities
Lumen
Dana Eddis
Associate general counsel - corporate
Corteva
Raj Dave
Vice president, chief securities counsel and assistant corporate secretary
Newell Brands
Mr. Dave is Vice President, Chief Securities Counsel and Assistant Corporate Secretary of Newell Brands (NASDAQ: NWL) and a past member of the Board of Directors of the Society for Corporate Governance. Mr. Dave advises the Board of Directors and senior management on securities law, corporate governance and corporate law matters. Mr. Dave also manages Environmental Affairs and the Office of Corporate Secretary.
Previously, Mr. Dave served as Vice President, Corporate Law and Assistant Secretary of Owens Corning (NYSE: OC). Prior to joining Owens Corning, Mr. Dave served as a senior legal executive at a KKR portfolio company and at Assurant (NYSE: AIZ). Mr. Dave began his legal career as an Associate at the law firm of Norton Rose Fulbright in New York City.
Mr. Dave has served on the boards of local chapters of the American Red Cross and the Association of Corporate Counsel. Mr. Dave earned his J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center and received his undergraduate degree from Brown University.
Kiran Aziz
Head of responsible investments
KLP
Kiran Aziz is Head of Responsible Investments at Norway’s largest pension company KLP. She is responsible for ownership and responsible investment activities.
Prior to joining KLP, Ms Aziz was a lawyer, lecturer and researcher. She also has extensive board experience. She is currently on board for Norwegian Refugee Council which is one of the world`s largest humanitarian organizations for displaced people and Dagbladet which is one of Norway’s largest newspapers. She is also a columnist for Norway’s largest online newspaper for finance and business and is Advisory board member for ESG for Boards . Ms Aziz holds a law degree from the University of Oslo.
John Truzzolino
Director of business development
Donnelly Financial Solutions
Prabh K. Banga
Vice president, sustainability
Aecon
Sandy Peters
Senior head, CFA Institute, and investor advisory committee member
SEC
Sandra Peters leads the Financial Reporting Policy Group at CFA Institute where she oversees a team responsible for tracking all corporate disclosure issues of interest to investors (e.g. financial reporting, auditing and ESG disclosures). She serves as spokesperson for CFA Institute to policymakers, standard setters, and regulators (e.g., IASB, FASB, SASB, ISSB, U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, European Commission, etc.) and conducts outreach to other professional organizations and the media to discuss and promote data for investment decision-making.
She is currently a member of the SEC’s Investor Advisory Committee and previously was a member of the IFRS Interpretation’s Committee (IFRS IC), the PCAOB’s Standing Advisory Group and the FASB’s Financial Accounting Standards Advisory Council (FASAC).
Alexandra Higgins
Managing director
Okapi Partners
Laurence Taylor
Senior conference producer
IR Magazine and Governance Intelligence
Wesley Gee
Chief sustainability officer
Works Design
Combining academic expertise with extensive professional experience, Wesley leads The Works’sustainability practice. He provides guidance in stakeholder engagement, materiality and performance measurement, as well as CSR/sustainability communications and reporting. Wesley contributed to the development of the GRI G4 guidelines and serves on sector working groups with the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board. He is a judge for CPA Canada’s Corporate Reporting Awards and is a frequent speaker at industry conferences and events. He also lectures for the CSR certificate program at the University of Toronto and for the sustainability certificate program at Ryerson University. Before joining The Works, Wesley was senior sustainability consultant at Stantec and senior CSR advisor at the Canadian Business for Social Responsibility. He holds a Master’s in Sustainable Business from the University of Leeds.
Ben Maiden
Editor-at-large
Governance Intelligence
Ben Maiden is the editor-at-large for Governance Intelligence, an IR Media publication, having joined the company in December 2016. He is based in New York. Ben was previously managing editor of Compliance Reporter, covering regulatory and compliance issues affecting broker-dealers and asset management firms in the US and Europe. Before that, he was editor of Euromoney Institutional Investor’s International Financial Law Review and IFLR’s Americas editor, working in London and New York.
Steve Wade
Head of event content
IR Magazine and Governance Intelligence
Steve Wade is a content researcher and conference producer at IR Magazine where he is responsible for crowd-sourcing intelligence on the big global issues facing investor relations. Steve also creates events where the IROs and the wider financial community can discuss, debate and learn about ways to develop the IR function.
Prior to IR Magazine, Steven’s background has been in corporate social responsibility and responsible investment. During his time at Ethical Corporation (now Reuters Events), Steve launched the ESG symposium, an event focused on connecting the socially responsible investment community with corporate sustainability leaders at listed companies. Steve was a judge for the Deloitte Green Frog Awards, celebrating the best corporate reporting in Eastern Europe. Steve also presented research at the Global Sustainable Event Summit in London and has spoken about extra-financial reporting with the United Nations Global Compact, the World Bank and the Polish Ministry of Finance.
Steve has a degree in Event Management and enjoys playing rugby in his spare time.
Jennifer Motles
Chief sustainability officer
Philip Morris International
Our attendees are leading governance, IR and sustainability practitioners with an established track record and strategic role within their company.
Below is a sample of some of our past attendees:
Company | Job title | Company | Job title | |
Farmland Partners | CFO | ViacomCBS | ESG specialist | |
PotlatchDeltic | CFO | Hewlett Packard Enterprise | ESG strategy and operations | |
Array Technologies | CMO, head of ESG | Bristol-Myers Squibb | Global head, sustainability strategy & operations | |
United States Steel | Corporate counsel | Vistra | IR and sustainability director | |
Nano One Materials | Corporate secretary & director of sustainability | The Water Council | President & CEO | |
KEB Hana Bank Canada | Corporate secretary and governance officer | Duke Realty | Senior corporate responsibility and brand manager | |
McDonalds Corporation | Corporate VP and associate general counsel | The Kroger | Senior Director, ESG | |
Easterly Government Properties | Director of Sustainability | Thermo Fisher Scientific | Senior director, investor relations | |
Micron Technology | Director of sustainability | MEG Energy | Senior sustainability advisor | |
Unitil | Director of sustainability & shared services | Sprouts Farmers Market | Sustainability manager | |
South Jersey Industries | Director, ESG | Capstone Mining | SVP, risk, ESG and corporate secretary | |
Coeur Mining | Director, ESG, Community & government relations | Whitestone REIT | Vice president, corporate communications | |
IAC | Director, finance and IR | Exterran Corp | Vice president, finance | |
AMN Healthcare Services | Director, investor relations & strategy | The Estee Lauder Companies | VP, global corporate citizenship & sustainability | |
Ideanomics | Director, Sustainability | Modern West Advisory | VP, ESG & sustainable business practice | |
Murphy Oil Corporation | Director, sustainability | MetaBank | VP, ESG and DEI | |
Adtalem Global Education | Director, sustainability & government relations | OGI | VP, investor relations | |
DaVita | ESG director | Columbia Banking System | VP, investor relations, ESG |
Why partner with us?
The ESG Integration Forum – Winter brings together some of the most influential people in the IR, governance and sustainability communities.
The event offers an effective approach to targeting clients when they are exploring how they can improve their ESG engagement and communication practice. Through our unrivalled knowledge of the subject matters and commitment to in-depth agenda research, our events are guaranteed to attract a qualified audience.
The unique buzz we create at our events makes them multi-faceted and highly interactive with great engagement in particular with decision-makers at listed companies. This allows our partners to have meaningful conversations with corporates who are deciding which parts of their ESG program to invest in, which service providers to engage and which consultants to retain. By partnering with us on an event, you can generate leads, showcase your thought leadership and position yourselves as the partner of choice.
We’d love to have a chat with you about how you can get in front of a truly engaged and motivated audience at the ESG Integration Forum – Winter. Get in touch with Ian Richman or call on +1 212 430 6895.
Forum Partners
Cooley’s lawyers solve legal issues for entrepreneurs, investors, financial institutions and established companies with an emphasis on technology, life sciences and other high-growth industries. Clients partner with Cooley on transformative deals, complex IP and regulatory matters, and high-stakes litigation, where innovation meets the law. For more information please visit Cooley.com.
DFIN is a leading global risk and compliance company. We’re here to help you make smarter decisions with insightful technology, industry expertise and data insights at every stage of your business and investment lifecycles.
As markets fluctuate, regulations evolve and technology advances, we’re there. And through it all, we deliver confidence with the right solutions in moments that matter.
Learn about DFIN’s end-to-end risk and compliance solutions. Visit www.dfinsolutions.com or call +1 800 823 5304.
Fenwick provides comprehensive legal services to ground-breaking technology and life sciences companies – at every stage of their lifecycle – and the investors that partner with them. Founded in 1972 in Palo Alto in the dawning days of Silicon Valley, Fenwick has been inextricably entwined with the history and growth of technology. We incorporated Apple, took Oracle and eBay public and over the years have represented many leading technology companies and their underwriters in numerous high-profile IPOs and M&A transactions.
Fenwick advises companies on the full suite of corporate governance matters. Clients and their boards benefit from our multidisciplinary team approach and our knowledge of the latest developments, whether in the areas of governance structure, boardroom refreshment and diversity, shareholder activism and defensive measures, executive compensation, proxy voting and advisors, or ESG.
With more than 400 attorneys and 1,000 employees firmwide, Fenwick has nationally ranked practices in complex financial and commercial transactions, corporate governance, intellectual property protection and licensing, mergers and acquisitions, “bet-the-company” litigation, domestic and international tax planning and tax controversies.
Our lawyers possess a deep understanding of the technology and science behind our clients’ businesses and, as a firm, we have always been committed to delivering the highest level of service in the most efficient, effective way possible, while maintaining a collegial and collaborative environment based on mutual respect.
The Green Impact Exchange (GIX) will be the first national securities exchange in the U.S. dedicated to the emerging global green economy. Using green governance listing principles, GIX will bring much-needed transparency, structure, uniformity and accountability for public companies who want to distinguish their green commitments and highlight their green achievements. Using a pioneering, competitive, sustainability-focused exchange platform that will encourage trading liquidity and allows companies to raise capital during their green journey, GIX will serve as the nexus for green-minded investors and issuers for years to come.
For more information please visit: www.tradegix.com
Morrow Sodali is the leading global consultancy specializing in shareholder services, corporate governance, proxy solicitation and capital markets transactions. The firm provides corporate boards and executives with strategic advice and services relating to a broad range of activities, including: mergers and acquisitions, annual general and extraordinary shareholder meetings, dissident and contested campaigns, shareholder activist initiatives and multinational cross-border equity and debt transactions.
From headquarters in New York and London and nine offices in major capital markets, Morrow Sodali serves more than 700 corporate clients in 40 countries, including many of the world’s largest multinational corporations. In addition to listed and private companies, its clients include mutual funds, stock exchanges, membership associations and activist investors.
For more information, visit morrowsodali.com
Okapi Partners LLC is a strategic proxy solicitation and investor response firm providing a full range of solicitation and information agent services, as well as related consultation and advice to our clients. We represent listed companies, mutual funds, and investors, providing our clients with superior service, established industry relationships and outstanding execution capabilities.
For more information, please visit us at www.okapipartners.com.
Q4 Inc. (TSX: QFOR) is the leading capital markets access platform that is transforming how issuers, investors, and the sell-side efficiently connect, communicate, and engage with each other.
The Q4 Platform facilitates interactions across the capital markets through IR website products, virtual events solutions, engagement analytics, investor relations CRM, shareholder and market analysis, surveillance, and ESG tools. The Q4 Platform is the only holistic capital markets access platform that digitally drives connections, analyzes impact, and targets the right engagement to help public companies work faster and smarter.
The company is a trusted partner to more than 2,650 public companies globally, including many of the most respected brands in the world, and maintains an award winning culture where team members grow and thrive.
Q4 is headquartered in Toronto, with offices in New York and London. Learn more at www.q4inc.com.
Works Design is a full-service corporate communications agency and design studio. We help world-class organizations present themselves, tell their stories and build relationships with all of their stakeholders.
For more information, please visit www.worksdesign.com
Supported by
Governance & Accountability Institute, Inc. (G&A) is an ESG and sustainability consulting firm, founded in 2006 and based in New York, helping clients become leaders in corporate sustainability and corporate responsibility. We understand and advise on the important ways that institutional investors – asset owners and their asset managers – evaluate opportunities to invest in public and private companies. We also help savvy and enlightened corporate executives position their enterprises for success in the “new norms” of the capital markets.
For more information, please visit ga-institute.com.
Founded in 1969, NIRI is the professional association of corporate officers and investor relations consultants responsible for communication among corporate management, shareholders, securities analysts and other financial community constituents. NIRI is the largest professional investor relations association in the world with more than 3,300 members representing over 1,600 publicly held companies and $9 trillion in stock market capitalization. For more information, please visit www.NIRI.org.
The Virtual Chapter is the second largest chapter in the NIRI ecosystem, with over 230 members representing 160+ publicly traded companies from a wide range of professional experiences, industries, geographies and market caps. The Virtual Chapter has been providing online educational, professional development and networking opportunities for its members and the broader IR community for more than 16 years, and is the only NIRI chapter to offer CPE credits in addition to IRC PDUs. For more information, please contact [email protected].
IR Magazine and Governance Intelligence are long-term supporters of the Coalition for the Homeless. The Coalition is doing all in its power to ensure that homeless New Yorkers get the help and protection they need.
Thank you to our attendees for bringing items to the event to be donated to those in need through the coaliation.
For further information about their work, please visit coalitionforthehomeless.org
We were delighted to host the event at:
etc.venues
360 Madison Avenue
New York
NY 10017
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