Resources
We conduct original research on the causes of short-term business decisions and work to find practical solutions.
Strategy | Article
15 June 2022 - Buybacks are a recurrent topic of controversy, especially as guidelines seem to shift year to year and differ from country to country. In the US, the Biden administration put forth a new proposal, upping the ante after last year’s proposed 1% tax on buybacks (intended to raise billions in tax revenue). The White House’s most recent proposal would prevent executives from selling their shares for three years after repurchasing stock, in the hopes that this will quash the incentive to repurchase shares in the first place.
Article
31 May 2022 - Investors want to reward companies that demonstrate their ability to generate value and deliver real-world contributions to tackling climate change. That requires robust, well-rounded transition plans that are integrated with business strategy and a way for companies and investors to engage on those plans. bp outlines how they are engaging shareholders as they transform the company in response to the challenges and opportunities of the energy transition.
Metrics | Article
25 May 2022 - Beyond Accounting to Investing in Stakeholders
Strategy | Article, Toolkit
24 May 2022 - Geopolitical risk is currently front and center for executive management and boards. The war in Ukraine and accompanying geopolitical disruptions are an action-forcing event for nearly every multinational company and investor, regardless of the size of the business or portfolio at risk.
Climate, Metrics, Policy | Article
23 May 2022 - The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission SEC recently requested public comments on a recently proposed rule that would require companies to provide climate-related information in their registration statements and annual reports.
Incentive Alignment | Article
17 May 2022 - An upcoming project will expand on our model for long-term investment mandates and create new tools for investors to lay the foundation for generating stronger returns.
Climate | Article
22 April 2022 - Smart investors can build a net zero portfolio today, but you shouldn’t want them to. It won’t have a stellar risk-return profile, and it’s likely to only produce “paper” decarbonization rather than cutting real-world emissions.
Article
20 April 2022 - In the wake of rising inflation, the swelling of interest rates could temper the growth of private markets. However, this presents a timely opportunity for investors to tap into the public markets, allowing individual savers to take part in long-term value creation.
Article
28 March 2022 - Much of the confusion around sustainable investing stems from a lack of clarity on the goals of sustainable or ESG-labeled funds. Clear definitions, along with transparency into investment selection criteria, would help to avoid the common disparities between investors’ expectations and fund managers’ goals.
Article
25 February 2022 - Quarterly EPS guidance is inherently short-term, but more companies returned to the practice last year.
Governance | Article
19 January 2022 - Political uncertainty needn’t capsize an organization’s long-term strategy. Rather, through good governance and investing in stakeholder engagement, businesses can cut through the noise of what’s expected of them and stay true to their purpose.
Article
10 January 2022 - Recent regulatory shifts and financial uncertainty due to COVID-19 has changed how companies are spending their money, including on share buybacks.