Tag: ESG initiatives
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Senators ask Treasury for additional climate finance regulation
The Treasury Department released guidelines on Sept. 19 aiming to promote net-zero finance. The next day, six left-leaning senators, including Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), sent a letter to Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen encouraging her to enact additional financial regulations related to climate and carbon emissions. Ballotpedia tracks support for and opposition to…
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Federal court rules in favor of Biden ESG retirement rule
Judge Matthew J. Kacsmaryk of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas issued a ruling on Sept. 21 refusing to block the Biden Labor Department’s investment rule allowing ESG considerations in retirement plans governed by the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA). Texas and Utah are leading 24 other…
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House GOP passes four more bills opposing ESG out of committee
House Republicans on September 14 passed four new bills opposing ESG out of the Education and Workforce Committee, bringing the total number of ESG bills passed out of committee this year to seven. The move followed the lead of the House Financial Services Committee, which advanced its own slate of bills opposing ESG in August.…
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Oklahoma pension board votes to retain financial advisors, including BlackRock
An Oklahoma law passed in 2022 required the state treasurer to maintain a list of businesses ineligible to do business with the state due to ESG investing policies. But the Oklahoma Public Employees Retirement System’s board voted on Aug. 23 to retain its current roster of financial advisers, including businesses that were on the treasurer's…
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Vanguard joins BlackRock in reducing support for ESG shareholder proposals
Fox Business reported on August 29 that Vanguard—the second largest asset manager in the world and the largest manager of passive funds—reduced its support for pro-ESG proxy proposals during the past shareholder season. The report followed news that BlackRock, the world’s largest asset manager (measured by assets under management) also supported fewer ESG proposals. Ballotpedia…
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Consumer group launches campaign opposing Duke Energy’s ESG policies
The consumer watchdog organization Consumers Research launched a campaign August 24, opposing the ESG policies in use by North Carolina’s Duke Energy. Ballotpedia tracks support for and opposition to the environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG) investing movement. To learn more about arguments for, against, and about ESG, click here. For more information on reform…
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Wyoming state board pushes back against ESG
The Wyoming State Loan and Investment Board on August 2 enacted a new investment policy prohibiting ESG considerations in state investments. Ballotpedia tracks support for and opposition to the environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG) investing movement. To learn more about arguments for, against, and about ESG, click here. For more information on reform proposals…
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Congressmen send letters requesting ESG information from Big Three asset managers
House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), along with Reps. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) and Dan Bishop (R-N.C.), sent letters to the Big Three passive asset management firms—BlackRock, State Street, and Vanguard—on July 6 requesting information about their efforts to combat climate change through ESG. Jordan said such efforts could violate antitrust laws. Ballotpedia tracks support…
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House Republican introduces bill opposing ESG in retirement funds
Congressman Andy Barr (R-Ky.) introduced a bill on June 21 opposing the Biden Labor Department’s rule allowing the use of ESG in retirement plan investments. Both chambers recently passed a Congressional Review Act (CRA) resolution overturning the Labor Department rule, but President Joe Biden (D) vetoed that legislation. Congressman Barr introduced the new bill in…
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Biden administration seeks to dismiss lawsuit challenging ESG retirement plan rule
The Biden administration on June 5 moved to dismiss a lawsuit brought against it by states challenging a Department of Labor rule on the use of ESG factors in investment-related decisions for retirement funds governed by the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA). The states filed suit earlier this year, arguing that the…