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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Industry News 25 October, 2023
Call for evidence on Scope 3 reporting
The Government's anticipated call for evidence has now been issued, seeking views on the costs, benefits and practicalities of Scope 3 greenhouse gas emissions reporting in the UK, to help inform the government’s decision on whether to endorse the ISSB standards in the UK. It also investigates the current SECR framework to inform a Post-Implementation Review of the policy.
Informed 24 October, 2023
Informed 120 – Autumn 2023
This issue of Informed included a feature on market reform, which covered regulatory and demographic changes that will affect IROs in the years ahead.
20 October, 2023
CSRD size limits are increased
The size limits for reporting under the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) have been increased, so fewer companies will now be caught.
Industry News 18 October, 2023
New UK reporting requirements scrapped
Government withdraws annual resilience statement, fraud detection/prevention statement and triennial audit and assurance policy (AAP).
IR Society News Consultation Responses Policy & Positions 5 October, 2023
Society responds to the Voluntary Code for ESG ratings agencies
This IR Society response draws on the findings from the ESG data/ratings survey carried at Easter this year among our IRO Members, which illustrate a level of dissatisfaction with the current quality of engagement between companies and ESG data and ratings agencies. We hope this principles-based Voluntary Code of Conduct that is being developed for providers of ESG data and ratings will be helpful for our members, given the amount of time/resource IR departments currently spend dealing with these agencies.
IR Society News Consultation Responses Policy & Positions Research & Surveys 13 September, 2023
Society responds to the FRC’s Corporate Governance Code proposals
In this IR Society response, which draws on the findings from recent member research on the FRC's proposals of most relevance to IROs, the Society is generally supportive of the proposed reforms, but calls for more flexibility and less prescription in certain areas, for example, audit committee oversight of narrative and sustainability reporting given many corporates already have a sustainability committee. The Society expresses support for increased transparency around malus and clawback arrangements, although calls for more clarity around disclosure of their ‘usage’. The Society also identifies several areas where more detailed guidance would be helpful, including ‘good’ outcome reporting, ‘significant’ appointments for ‘over-boarding’ disclosures, audit committee engagement with shareholders and oversight of narrative/sustainability reporting.
Research & Surveys 28 July, 2023
Findings from IRO Survey on Listing Rules and Investment Research
2023 member survey provides insights on Investment Research and the FCA's Listing Rule proposals.
Informed 24 July, 2023
Informed 119 – Summer 2023
The main feature in this issue is a full report on the 2023 conference, Dynamic IR: Staying authentic & managing on-going structural change.
IR Society News Consultation Responses Policy & Positions 30 June, 2023
Society responds to the FCA Listing Rule Proposals in CP23/10
In this IR Society response, which draws on the findings from recent IRO member research on the FCA's proposed changes to the Listing Rules and on current levels of investment research in the UK, the Society was generally supportive of the proposed reforms given most IRO respondents thought the FCA proposals would reduce regulatory barriers for companies and bolster UK competitiveness. However, the Society highlights concern that a lack of shareholder approvals for major transactions could lead to significant legal and advisory costs in the early days, until a more streamlined approach based on successful transactions establishes best practice, and that a generous transition period could be needed for current standard listings to allow them to comply with the more onerous ‘single category’ continuing obligations. The Society also mentions that liquidity, depth of markets, and comparable peers are thought of by IRO respondents as the most important factors in deciding where to list the proposals, with regulation and valuations also seen as significant factors. The response also highlights some more significant issues that the Society believes may also influence the attractiveness and competitiveness of the London markets, including the UK market’s sensitivity to Directors' remuneration and compensation structures, the quality and timeliness of Investment Research, the need to encourage funds flow into UK asset managers, the suggestion of establishing a framework that better enables companies to identify all short-sellers so that they can engage with them (if they wish), and the UK’s overlapping disclosure and filing obligations which could benefit from being streamlined and simplified.
IR Society News Consultation Responses Policy & Positions 30 June, 2023
Society responds to the ESG data and ratings HM Treasury Consultation
In this IR Society response, which draws on the findings from recent IRO member research on ESG data and ratings, which underline the importance of ESG ratings to corporates, illustrate a level of dissatisfaction with the quality of engagement between companies and ratings agencies, and indicate strong support for their regulation (90% of respondent IROs think they should be regulated by the FCA). The response also: • recommends that the UK regime is based on recommendations from IOSCO, to avoid regulatory arbitrage across jurisdictions; • calls for consistency and harmonisation with overseas equivalent regulations eg the EU’s recently published Proposal for regulating ESG ratings providers; and • recommends an appropriate transitional period, a phased approach so that smaller agencies have a longer transition period and an ongoing initial ‘start up’ period for new providers.
IR Society News 30 June, 2023
The IR Society announces appointments of new Chair and Deputy Chairs
The Investor Relations Society (the Society) is pleased to announce that Douglas Radcliffe, Group Investor Relations Director at Lloyds Banking Group and former Deputy Chair of the Society has assumed the role of Chair
IR Society News Research & Surveys 14 June, 2023
Findings from 2023 Society IRO Survey on ESG Data and Ratings
Recent survey of IRO members provides insight into their experiences with ESG data and ratings agencies.
IR Society News Industry News 5 May, 2023
Signalling sustainability amidst uncertainty
Katya Gorbatiouk of the London Stock Exchange outlines her thoughts on the direction of travel for sustainability communications, the key areas where transparency is expected by capital providers and the implications for the mission-critical role of the IR function.
IR Society News Industry News 3 May, 2023
IR Society 2023 Best Practice Awards entries open today
The IR Society, the UK’s professional body for investor relations practitioners, today launches its 23rd Annual Best Practice Awards (the ‘Awards’).
IR Society News Consultation Responses Policy & Positions 24 April, 2023
Society responds to the Review of Investment Research
The IR Society response to this call for evidence indicates that it will be conducting some further member research on current levels of coverage, and also refers to our 2021 MIFID II survey that illustrated the impact on sell-side coverage and quality, the reduced role of corporate broking services and the significant increase in direct interaction between IR departments and investors which has ensued.
Consultation Responses 24 April, 2023
Society responds to the Review of Investment Research
The IR Society response to this call for evidence indicates that it will be conducting some further member research on current levels of coverage, and also refers to our 2021 MIFID II survey that illustrated the impact on sell-side coverage and quality, the reduced role of corporate broking services and the significant increase in direct interaction between IR departments and investors which has ensued.
Informed 3 April, 2023
Informed 118 – Spring 2023
The Spring 2023 issue of Informed comprises 16 articles on a feature titled 'The evolution of IR' and also celebrates 2,000 CIR passes.
Blogs 8 March, 2023
International Women’s Day 2023: Interview with Bethany Barnes
Bethany speaks about her IR career across various companies and who has influenced her most.
Blogs 8 March, 2023
International Women’s Day 2023: Interview with Amie Gramlick
Amie talks about her unusual career move into the IRO industry – and what challenges she faced.
Blogs 8 March, 2023
International Women’s Day 2023: Interview with Sonya Ghobrial
Sonya talks about her IR career and recent role working on Haleon's IPO.