Key topics in Akin’s February 2025 Speaking Sustainability - Legal & Regulatory Update include:
- Institutional Shareholder Services Inc. (ISS), Glass Lewis and BlackRock have each published their respective proxy voting guidelines for the 2025 proxy season. Taken together, the updated policies address emerging issues, relevant regulatory changes and notable trends since the conclusion of the 2024 proxy season. Akin published a longer client alert discussing the matter here.
- In the matter of Chamber of Commerce of the United States America et al. v. California Air Resources Board et al.—the ongoing litigation over California’s two recently passed climate disclosure statues, SB 253 and SB 261—the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California has narrowed down the scope of review to only consider whether the statutes violate the First Amendment.
- Following the European Council announcing the adoption of new rules aimed at enhancing the reliability and comparability of ESG ratings in order to bolster investor confidence in sustainable financial products, the IFRS Foundation has published a new guide to help companies understand how to report only climate-related information when applicable using ISSB standards.
To read more, and for a comprehensive overview of other recent sustainability policy and regulatory developments and their implications, please click here.
