ESG Regulatory Reporting Virtual Conference: How to Comply With Regulations and Investor Expectations

CONFERENCE AGENDA

Welcome & Opening Remarks
8:45 – 9:00 AM

Overall ESG Reporting Landscape
9:00 – 9:45 AM
Voluntary ESG reporting has become commonplace with a majority of S&P 500 companies now issuing some form of ESG, Sustainability, or Impact report. Smaller companies are beginning to participate as well, and stakeholder interest remains high for this type of information to aid in decision making. This session will answer the following questions:  
• Why does ESG reporting matter?
• What are the top ESG factors being considered by investors?
• What are companies actually reporting in terms of frameworks and standards?
• What do organizations need to understand regarding relevant sustainability?
• What should we take away from BlackRock's updated US proxy voting guidelines?
• What types of goals and targets are being set?

Break
9:45 – 9:50 AM

Regulatory Update: SEC Rules, California Climate Laws & CSRD
9:50 – 11:20 AM
The SEC has recently issued a final ruling that scales back the previous proposals. These crucial changes will critically alter the ways in which companies handle ESG. In addition, companies need to be concerned with California’s latest climate disclosure laws and The Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) which is the most comprehensive sustainability reporting legislation in the EU. This session will get you caught up on these latest changes, as well as the following topics:   
• New requirements to annual reports
• Registration statements
• Emission disclosures
• The impact of California’s latest climate disclosure laws
• How the EU Green Deal created CSRD
• Structure of the CSRD requirements under the European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS)
• Implementation of timetable sizing thresholds  

Break
11:20 – 11:30 AM

COSO Guidance on ESG Reporting
11:30 AM – 12:10 PM
In March 2023, the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission, (COSO) issued new supplemental guidance entitled: Achieving Effective Internal Control Over Sustainability Reporting (ICSR). Using the globally recognized 2013 COSO Internal Control – Integrated Framework (ICIF), the intended outcome according to COSO is “to build trust and confidence in ESG reporting, public disclosures and enterprise decision-making.” We will discuss the following issues:
• Development of the guidance
• Structure of the guidance and relationship to the 2013 ICIF
• What does the guidance say and how should it be applied?
• Top ten takeaways from the authors

Lunch
12:10 – 12:55 PM

ESG Assurance Considerations Including Third Party Assurance on Greenhouse Gas Emissions
12:55 – 1:55 PM
Assurance ranges from management controls through internal audit and up to external assurance opinions. The most widely used external assurance standard for non-financial information is ISAE 3000 (UK), ISAE 3410, and AICPA attestation standards. In this session, participants will understand:   
• Regulations requiring ESG assurance
• SEC proposal on GHG Scope 1, 2, and 3 emission reporting
• Non-financial reporting auditing standards
• Assurance over GHG emissions
• Role of internal audit in ESG reporting

Break
1:55 – 2:00 PM

ESG Data Collection Aggregation & Technology Applications Considerations
2:00 – 2:40 PM
In order for ESG reporting to be fully effective, businesses need to increase the focus on quality of data collection. But this also requires adapting to the differences in which data collection is handled considering that traditional data collection methods may not apply to the types of data needed for sustained ESG growth. Both existing and new pieces of data must be considered. In this session, participants will get insights on:  
• Market forces creating a changing landscape by creating and protecting sustainable value
  for stakeholders
• Sustainability and ESG reporting
• Key challenges, best practices, tools, and assessments related to aggregation and reporting
• Strategic approaches to data and technology leveraging existing systems, tools, and enablers
• Considerations for how ESG programs can drive long-term value

Break
2:40 – 2:45 PM

Company & Board Member Liability in ESG Reporting
2:45 – 3:15 PM
Under US securities laws, all public company disclosures must be accurate and complete in all material respects and not materially misleading. Materially misleading or false statements or omissions may subject the company to private securities lawsuits as well as to SEC enforcement actions under various provisions of US securities law. As a result, ESG disclosures, whether in SEC filings or other reports or on a company website, can create significant litigation and enforcement risks if not carefully prepared and reviewed. This session will present the views of lawyers and board members on this subject including several enforcement examples.  

Break
3:15 – 3:20 PM

Industry Panel Discussion on Complying with ESG Reporting
3:20 – 4:50 PM
Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) has become a permanent addition to public company corporate reporting and performance measurement. Stakeholders, such as investors, regulators, employees, and customers are requesting, and even demanding, greater transparency. Accuracy and completeness are expected now at the same level of maturity as financial disclosure and performance. In this session, a panel of industry practitioners moderated by a Big 4 accounting leader will discuss:   
• Making ESG an integral part of strategy and governance
• The journey to sustainability
• The transition from voluntary to regulated reporting under three regimes—US SEC, ISSB and CSRD
• Potential investment considerations
• Expansion of corporate data reporting
• Increasing regulatory demands
• Proactive disclosure approach
• Assurance requirements and standards for assurers
• Role of ESG controller

Closing Remarks
4:50 – 5:05 PM

Conference Ends
5:05 PM