Institutional investors and government agencies are asking for more transparency in sustainability reporting. ISS and other organizations have developed sustainability scorecards to rate companies on a variety of sustainability metrics.

Given this increased attention, many companies are asking what they should do in response to this growing trend. In this episode of the S&C Critical Insights podcast series, Melissa Sawyer and James Shea share what sustainability reporting looks like today, going beyond environmental issues to include labor practices, workplace safety, workplace culture and diversity, as well as worker and community safety and impact. They discuss what companies should take into account when considering sustainability reporting and explore the pros and cons of these approaches. The episode also reviews enhanced sustainability disclosures, common trends, and where oversight of sustainability matters should sit at the board level.

Melissa Sawyer is co-head of Sullivan & Cromwell’s Corporate Governance Practice, and a partner in the Mergers & Acquisitions Group. In addition to advising clients on corporate governance, activism and takeover defense matters, she also regularly advises on public and private M&A transactions, joint ventures and strategic alliances.

James Shea is a special counsel in Sullivan & Cromwell’s General Practice Group, who advises extensively on corporate governance, along with his work on capital markets, mergers and acquisitions transactions and U.S. securities law.

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