Boston Common Asset Management
Climate Impact & Sustainability Data (2024-01-01 to 2024-03-31)
Reporting Period: 2024-01-01 to 2024-03-31
Environmental Metrics
ESG Focus Areas
- Gender Equality
- Climate Change
- Governance of Sustainability
- Deforestation and Biodiversity
- Child Online Safety
- Ethical AI
- Election Integrity
- Human Rights
Environmental Achievements
- Advocated for mandatory climate disclosure, including Scope 3 emissions, to the SEC.
Social Achievements
- Developed Investor Guidance for Prioritizing Gender in 2022 to help investors motivate companies to adopt gender-specific approaches.
- Joined an investor coalition to address the impact of the tech sector on mental health and well-being.
- Engaged with Alphabet and Apple on child online safety, resulting in policy updates and enhanced disclosures.
Governance Achievements
- Engaged with portfolio companies on improving governance of sustainability, including board oversight, ESG-linked remuneration, and target setting.
Climate Goals & Targets
Long-term Goals:
- Aligning investments with net-zero emissions and a 1.5°C scenario by 2050 (as NZAM signatory).
Environmental Challenges
- Persistent gender gap and challenges in achieving gender parity.
- Slowing or abandoning of efforts to aid the transition to a more inclusive economy by many companies.
- Lack of Scope 3 emissions disclosure in the SEC's climate disclosure rule.
- Banks and financial institutions continuing to fund activities contributing to deforestation.
- Companies' lack of alignment between lobbying activities and stated climate goals.
Mitigation Strategies
- Developed Investor Guidance for Prioritizing Gender.
- Advocated for stronger SEC climate disclosure rule.
- Engaged with banks in Emerging Markets to improve their climate actions and financed emissions.
- Engaged with companies on lobbying disclosure and alignment with climate goals.
- Joined investor coalitions to address child online safety and ethical AI.