Tag: esg
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Department of Labor looks to enable private equity investments in 401(k)s
On March 30, 2026, the U.S. Department of Labor issued a notice of a proposed rule to establish guidelines for 401(k) plan managers considering investments in alternative assets. The proposed rule would establish guidelines for plan fiduciaries that create safe harbors under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) when evaluating and investing…
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Trump order bars DEI practices in federal contracts
On March 26, 2026, President Donald Trump (R) signed an executive order (EO) that orders federal agencies to add a new clause to federal contracts barring contractors and subcontractors from engaging in diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) activities. The order establishes penalties including contract termination and potential exclusion from future federal work. The order, titled…
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London Stock Exchange Group launches new ESG scores
On March 9, 2026, The London Stock Exchange Group (LSEG) announced that it launched LSEG Sustainability Ratings and Data, a new suite of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) scores and sustainability analytics to help investors evaluate how companies manage material risks and opportunities. The company said the system is designed to support investment decisions, benchmarking,…
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JPMorgan confirms closing Trump accounts after Jan. 6
JPMorgan Chase acknowledged in a February 2026 court filing that it closed bank accounts of President Trump (R) and several of his businesses in February 2021, following the Jan. 6, 2021, breach of the U.S. Capitol. The bank's former chief administrative officer, Dan Wilkening, wrote in the filing that JPMorgan informed Trump that certain accounts…
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SEC reviews ESG disclosure rule
On Feb. 11, Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Chairman Paul Atkins said in testimony before the U.S. House Financial Services Committee that the agency is reviewing regulations adopted during the Biden administration to determine whether those rules should be revised or rescinded. Atkins identified the 2023 amendments to the Investment Company Names rule (Names rule)…
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New York Senate passes $1 billion emissions reporting bill
On Feb. 10, 2026, the New York Senate passed Senate Bill 9072A, the Climate Corporate Data Accountability Act, by a 40–22 vote. The vote fell along party lines, with Democrats in favor and Republicans opposed. The bill would apply to companies that do business in New York and generate more than $1 billion in annual…
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Wells Fargo moves proxy voting in-house
On Jan. 29, 2026, Wells Fargo announced that its Wealth & Investment Management division launched a proprietary system to manage proxy voting internally, ending its use of outside proxy advisory services. The firm said it will now direct proxy voting for index funds and other managed products where Wells Fargo invests and votes on behalf…
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House passes bill limiting ESG use in retirement plans
On Jan. 15, 2026, the Republican-led U.S. House of Representatives passed the Protecting Prudent Investment of Retirement Savings Act (H.R. 2988) by a 213–205 vote, advancing legislation that would limit when fiduciaries may consider environmental, social, and governance (ESG) factors in employer-sponsored retirement plans governed by the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA). Rep. Rick…
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ESG-related policy during the first year of the second Trump administration
During the first year of President Donald Trump’s (R) second administration, federal agencies took a series of actions affecting environmental, social and governance (ESG) considerations in financial regulation, labor policy, environmental reporting, and corporate governance. Rather than a single sweeping change, these actions occurred through several mediums including rule withdrawals, enforcement decisions, and shifts in…
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Investor group urges SEC to oppose forced arbitration
On Nov. 6, 2025, the Council of Institutional Investors (CII) sent a letter to Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Chairman Paul S. Atkins opposing recent SEC actions related to mandatory arbitration clauses in public company registration statements. Mandatory arbitration provisions can limit investors’ ability to bring claims in court, pursue class actions, or rely on…