OPINION:
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce has been engaged in conversations about environmental, social and governance with the business community and policymakers — both nationally and internationally — for over a decade. To claim otherwise, as the editorial board did in its recent piece, is simply inaccurate.
ESG is a reality in markets. Through our work and countless surveys, it has been well documented that companies have been responsive to their investors in providing ESG information.
The chamber has encouraged companies to work with their investors to provide ESG-related information while also advocating a responsible, flexible approach with regulators on behalf of companies. We have opposed overly prescriptive, one-size-fits-all policy approaches, as a heavy-handed approach from government risks upsetting the progress that the business community has made.
We engage regularly with the Securities and Exchange Commission on this issue, and over the years the chamber has released the following items, showing our deep-rooted work in the ESG space:
• A best practices document on ESG for companies.
• An evaluation of corporate sustainability reporting.
• A report on the importance of the concept of materiality.
• Several ESG surveys in conjunction with Nasdaq. 2021 report can be found here.
TOM QUAADMAN
Executive vice president, Center for Capital Markets Competitiveness, U.S. Chamber of Commerce
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