International financiers, insurers, lenders and most significantly shareholders are increasingly comparing and contrasting the sustainability performance of thousands of global companies.  Their approach and interests can be an invaluable tool in helping you develop a focused sustainability program and address the growing interest in Environmental Governance.

Here are a few of the most Influential Stakeholders assessing sustainability information:

• Investor Network on Climate Risk (INCR)
  • Started 2003 with 10 members representing $600 Million
  • Currently represents over $4 Trillion in investment capital
  • 65 members with over a dozen state pension plans
• Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP)
  • Started 2002 with 35 signatory investors representing $4.5 Trillion
  • Currently represents over $57 Trillion in investment capital
  • 385 signatory investors
• Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility
  • Started 1972
• Currently represents over $100 Billion
• 275 members

Members and signatories include: AIG, CalPERS, CalSTRS, Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan, Merrill Lynch, Morgan Stanley, State Street, UBS, Wachovia, et. al. You can find a quick link to the members and signatories of these groups and other shareholder initiatives here.

Shareholder Resolutions on the Rise
Faith-based investor group ICCR has released their 2007 report detailing 313 shareholder resolutions filed at 208 companies throughout North America. Our analysis of the report shows that 54 of the resolution topics focused on the environment and climate change issues: quantifiable Environmental Governance criteria. We've summarized this data into a PDF document here. You can also click here to see ICCR's complete list of sustainability-related resolutions.

How we can help
Wallace Partners has developed a phased approach that helps companies leverage this shareholder activity to effectively address these growing external demands, while staying focused on business priorities.  We use a proprietary method to help companies understand their performance in relation to their peers, assess internal strengths and weaknesses and leverage existing management systems and external relationships.  Our understanding and approach was recently featured in an article published in EDR insider.

We would be happy to host a call with you and your colleagues to provide an overview of this growing market and explain how your sustainability performance is being viewed by the financial markets and other influential stakeholders.