SEC Lays Out ESG Reporting Expectations

In a July speech, SEC Chair Gary Gensler indicated a proposal on increased and more standardized disclosures on environmental, social, and governance (ESG) issues was planned by the end of the year. As expected, in advance of new regulations, the SEC is leveraging 2010 interpretive guidance to signal the SEC’s tougher stance on ESG reporting to registrants. This article provides details on a list of requests that SEC staff have been sending to chief financial officers in connection with the 2010 guidance.