Library | ESG issues
Oversight, Assurance & Audit
Effective oversight, assurance, and audit are essential for organisations to manage risks and ensure the integrity of both financial and sustainability reporting. Boards and senior executives are responsible for overseeing risk management processes, obtaining assurance that principal risks are identified, managed, and monitored, and ensuring the effectiveness of internal controls. Audits, whether financial or sustainability-focused, involve independent evaluations of an organisation’s reports and controls to provide stakeholders with confidence in the accuracy and reliability of disclosed information.
Refine
82 results
REFINE
SHOW: 16
Net zero integrity: Assessment of the net zero pledges of Australian companies
This report assesses the net zero pledges of ten Australian companies, highlighting a gap between current voluntary commitments and the requirements of global standards. None of the firms have a comprehensive, quantified, and independently verified plan for reducing emissions in line with a science-based pathway.
Industry influence on biodiversity policy: A pilot study demonstrating industry associations’ engagement on biodiversity-related policy and regulations
This report reveals that industry associations representing key sectors and some of the largest companies in the world are lobbying to delay, dilute, and block critically needed biodiversity policy in both the EU and US. The vast majority of engagement on specific policies and regulations is oppositional, seeking to roll back, weaken, or block policy.
Accelerating change: The potential of capital market actors in addressing modern slavery
This report explores how capital market actors can play a crucial role in addressing modern slavery and offers good practice examples and actionable recommendations for asset owners, asset managers, private equity funds, stock exchanges, investment banks, and development finance institutions.
On the importance of assurance in carbon accounting
This paper examines the importance of assurance in corporate carbon accounting, finding that firms with assurance report higher carbon intensity than peers; and that controlling for assurance, there is no evidence that SBTi target-setters reduce their future emissions, while firms that obtain assurance reduce future carbon intensity.
Resources, energy and modern slavery: Practical responses to managing risks to people
This report provides practical responses for managing modern slavery risks in the resources and energy sectors. Covering topics such as risk to people and business, human rights risks, and key responses for addressing these risks, the report is an essential guide for companies seeking to effectively identify and manage modern slavery risks.
Natural capital accounting: Design and implementation protocol V1.1
This document provides guidance on natural capital accounting, a means to extend economic information to meaningfully describe the relationship between the economy and the environment. The report outlines a high-level, five-step process for designing and implementing natural capital accounting and compiling coherent environmental-economic data to support policy and decision-making.
Elevating stakeholder voices to the board: A guide to effective governance
This guide offers Australian directors valuable insights on elevating stakeholder perspectives to the board, emphasising a broader view of corporate interests. It explores stakeholder governance, effective practices, and the advantages of integrating voices from employees, customers, suppliers, and the community into board-level decision-making.
Toward a G20 framework for artificial intelligence in the workplace
This report advocates for creating a high-level, G20 framework using a set of principles for the introduction and management of big data and AI in the workplace. The paper identifies main issues and suggests two paths towards adoption.
Top 10 principles for ethical artificial intelligence
This report provides 10 principles for ethical artificial intelligence. From transparency in decision-making to ensuring a just transition and support for fundamental freedoms and rights, the report aims to empower workers and maintain a healthy balance of power in the workplace.
Safety by design: Model clauses for due diligence arrangements and funding agreements
This document provides model clauses for due diligence arrangements and funding agreements related to eSafety for startups. It includes pre-conditions for funding agreements, covering policies, staffing, training, and external communication. Additionally, the document urges startups to complete the eSafety assessment tool and implement safety by design measures.
Report of COMEST on robotics ethics
COMEST has released a report on robotics ethics which covers the history, development, and social impact of robots. It also offers recommendations for the ethical use of robotics.
Investors' expectations on responsible artificial intelligence and data governance
This report outlines responsible AI and data governance principles and engagement framework for investors across multiple sectors. The six core principles aim to enhance machine learning, auditability, explainability, and transparency, while taking into account legal, regulatory, ethical, and reputational risks.
Ethics guidelines for trustworthy AI
The European Commission's AI High-Level Expert Group has released their Ethics Guidelines for Trustworthy AI. The report provides a framework for creating lawful, ethical, and robust AI systems throughout the system's life cycle. The guidelines focus on respect for human autonomy, prevention of harm, fairness, and explicability.
Ethically aligned design: A vision for prioritising human well-being with autonomous and intelligent systems
This report is a call-to-action for technologists to align creation of autonomous and intelligent systems to defined values and ethical principles prioritising human well-being. Emphasising the importance of embedding values and morals into these systems, it discusses a range of topics, including job automation, personal data protection, A/IS education, law, and more.
Engaging the ICT sector on human rights: Discrimination
This report examines the risks of discrimination in the Information and Communication Technologies sector and its impact on human rights. It provides company guidance on eliminating discrimination and promoting inclusion, as well as investor guidelines for holding companies accountable.
Engaging the ICT sector on human rights: Child rights
This briefing explores the risks and opportunities Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) companies face in relation to children's rights. It highlights the importance of adhering to international standards and implementing internal policies and practices that prioritise the most severe impacts on children. Investors are encouraged to hold companies accountable.
