News and views
This is the area for media and other parties to find out what the IR Society thinks on the issues that affect our members.
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IR Society News Consultation Responses Policy & Positions 18 July, 2022
Society responds on UK Transition Plan proposals
The IR Society responded to the UK’s Transition Plan Taskforce’s call for evidence, supporting the sector-neutral approach and calling for transition plan disclosure requirements to be high level and principles-based, to be underpinned by more detailed non-mandatory guidance (including practical examples). Metrics should be included in such non-mandatory guidance, to give companies the flexibility to determine their own data points / Key Performance Indicators for how they measure progress. The Society called for flexibility around the location of transition plan disclosures, provided the core information is still required to be included within the annual report and accounts, and suggested that any transition plan requirements should recognise that reporting entities may not to be able to obtain data relating to energy usage and emissions from entities in the value chain that are beyond the reporting entity’s control.
Consultation Responses 16 June, 2022
SEC Climate-Related Disclosures
The IR Society has today responded to the SEC consultation on proposed climate-related disclosures, calling on the SEC to allow the use of the ISSB climate standard to meet the requirements of the SEC’s proposed rule for foreign issuers such as Form 20-F filers and companies with ADRs (American Depositary Receipts). This would be especially beneficial for those whose home market is likely to require the ISSB standards (like the UK), as it would avoid the need for duplicative reporting.
7 June, 2022
Government responds on restoring trust in audit and corporate governance
Last week, the government finally published its response to the BEIS White Paper. Reforms are proposed in relation to public interest entities, directors' accountability, corporate reporting requirements, auditors and the audit market, and the establishment of the new regulator, the Audit, Reporting and Governance Authority (ARGA).
26 May, 2022
Further reform of listing regime planned to boost growth and competitiveness
The FCA has announced their vision for possible reforms to make the listing regime more effective, easier to understand and more competitive in order to attract more high quality, growth companies and to give investors greater opportunities, with comments due by 28 July 2022.
Industry News 12 May, 2022
UK Climate transition plan proposals
The Transition Plan Taskforce, established last month, has issued a call for evidence on a Sector-Neutral Framework for transition plans, which it is proposed will be required to be disclosed by listed companies (and financial institutions) from 2023.
9 May, 2022
The IR Society announces appointments of new Board Members
May 9th 2022, London, UK: The Investor Relations Society (the Society) is pleased to announce the appointment of four non-executive Directors to the Board, effective 9th June 2022:
28 April, 2022
FRC finds “significant shortcomings” in modern slavery reporting
This FRC research report indicates that too many companies are failing to treat human rights issues in their workforce or supply chain as a principal source of risk or mainstream concern for boardroom discussion, with annual reports and modern slavery statements found to be lacking the information needed for shareholders and wider stakeholders to make informed decisions. Many companies treat this reporting as more of a compliance exercise, providing limited and often superficial commentary on this key business risk.
26 April, 2022
Best Practice Awards entries open today
IR Society leads the way in excellence in Investor Relations
Industry News 21 April, 2022
New FCA rules will boost disclosure of diversity on boards and executive committees
The FCA have finalised their rules requiring listed companies to report information and disclose against targets on the representation of women and ethnic minorities on their boards and executive management.
31 March, 2022
ISSB consults on sustainability- and climate-related financial disclosures
The ISSB has launched a consultation on its first two proposed standards to develop a global baseline of sustainability disclosures for the capital markets. One sets out general sustainability-related disclosure requirements and the other specifies climate-related disclosure requirements. Comments due by 29 July 2022.
31 March, 2022
FCA announces the end of their temporary Covid measures
Although the effects of Covid-19 are still being felt, the FCA considers that issuers and their advisors have now adjusted to implications arising from the pandemic and so are now able to return to previous practices and methods of publishing appropriate financial information to support investor decision-making.
Informed 31 March, 2022
Informed 114 – Spring 2022
The main feature of the Spring issue of Informed is titled 'IR for retail investors'. It asks whether IROs are serving small investors well. A second feature is centred around investor feedback.
24 March, 2022
Current World Events and Associated International Sanctions
The IR Society has published updated ‘best practice’ guidance to help members in response to the current uncertainty and instability arising from recent world events and the wide range of financial sanctions imposed in response.
24 March, 2022
SEC proposals to mandate climate disclosures
In response to investor demand for transparency around climate-change risk, the SEC has published a draft rule entitled the “Enhancement and Standardization of Climate-Related Disclosures for Investors”, which is open for consultation for 60 days.
3 March, 2022
Government pushes ahead with UK prospectus reforms
In its Review Outcome paper, the UK government has set out its plans for the reform of prospectuses following its 2021 review of the prospectus regime as recommended by the Hill Review of the listing regime, which focused on ways to enhance the attractiveness of the UK capital markets and adopt a more flexible framework following Brexit.
3 March, 2022
Sweeping reforms for UK Wholesale Markets regulation following Brexit
The government has published plans to reform to the UK’s financial services regulatory framework for capital markets, with the aim of ensuring that the UK’s regulatory regime for secondary markets is fair, outcomes-based and supports competitiveness, whilst maintaining the highest regulatory standards.
10 February, 2022
Takeover Code - Removal of restrictions on anonymous order book dealings
The Takeover Panel is consulting on removing the restriction on a bidder purchasing target shares through an anonymous order book during an offer period.
10 February, 2022
EU scrutiny into future regulation of ESG ratings continues
On 3 February 2022, ESMA published a call for evidence on market characteristics for ESG rating providers to help develop a picture of the size, structure, resourcing, revenues and product offerings of the different ESG rating providers operating in the EU.
10 February, 2022
Sustainability Reporting - FRC publishes preliminary thoughts on the development of ISSB Standards
The FRC has written to the ISSB expressing strong support for the development of global standards for sustainability reporting and the UK adoption of those standards, and commenting on the Sustainability Disclosure Prototypes published by the Technical Readiness Working Group.
3 February, 2022
EU Moves Ahead with Plan to Include Gas, Nuclear Energy in EU Taxonomy
The European Commission has taken a major step towards including investments in gas and nuclear-based energy in the list of sustainable activities under the new EU taxonomy classification system, with the Taxonomy Complementary Climate Delegated Act proposing criteria and disclosure rules for their inclusion.