objectifs de l’entreprise

engagement et activisme actionnarial Gouvernance Normes d'encadrement Nouvelles diverses objectifs de l'entreprise parties prenantes Responsabilité sociale des entreprises

Les investisseurs institutionnels réclament de la responsabilité !

L’ICCR (Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility) américain vient de prendre une position intéressante dans le contexte de la pandémie de Coronavirus : elle exhorte les entreprises à plus de responsabilité et fait connaître ses 5 priorités. Preuve une fois de plus que l’engagement des investisseurs institutionnels en faveur de la RSE est présent !

Global institutional investors comprising public pensions, asset management firms and faith-based funds issued a Statement on Coronavirus Response calling on the business community to step up as corporate citizens, and recommending measures corporations can take to protect their workforces, their communities, their businesses and our markets as a whole while we all confront the Coronavirus crisis. 

Extrait :

1. Provide paid leave: We urge companiesto make emergency paid leave available to all employees, including temporary, part time, and subcontracted workers. Without paid leave, social distancing and self-isolation are not broadly possible.

2. Prioritize health and safety: Protecting worker and public safety is essential for maintaining business reputations, consumer confidence and the social license to operate, as well as staying operational. Workers should avoid or limit exposure to COVID-19 as much as possible. Potential measures include rotating shifts; remote work; enhanced protections, trainings or cleaning; adopting the occupational safety and health guidance, and closing locations, if necessary.

3. Maintain employment: We support companies taking every measure to retain workers as widespread unemployment will only exacerbate the current crisis. Retaining a well-trained and committed workforce will permit companies to resume operations as quickly as possible once the crisis is resolved. Companies considering layoffs should also be mindful of potential discriminatory impact and the risk for subsequent employment discrimination cases.

4. Maintain supplier/customer relationships: As much as possible, maintaining timely or prompt payments to suppliers and working with customers facing financial challenges will help to stabilize the economy, protect our communities and small businesses and ensure a stable supply chain is in place for business operations to resume normally in the future.

5. Financial prudence: During this period of market stress, we expect the highest level of ethical financial management and responsibility. As responsible investors, we recognize this may include companies’ suspending share buybacks and showing support for the predicaments of their constituencies by limiting executive and senior management compensation for the duration of this crisis.

À la prochaine…

engagement et activisme actionnarial Gouvernance Normes d'encadrement Nouvelles diverses objectifs de l'entreprise

How responsible investors should respond to the COVID-19 coronavirus crisis

Le COVID-19 a également des conséquences pour les actionnaires qu’ils soient de petits porteurs ou des investisseurs institutionnels : les PRI viennent de rappeler que ceux qui s’inscrivent dans une démarche socialement responsable doivent adopter un certain comportement en cette période de fortes turbulences : « How responsible investors should respond to the COVID-19 coronavirus crisis » (27 mars 2020).

The COVID-19 pandemic – and the global response to it – is a serious threat not only to global health, but to our communities, our economies and our investments. As long-term stewards of capital, investors can and should act now to help reduce harmful impacts including: the direct effect on public health, the severity of the associated economic slowdown, the deepening of inequality in societies and the resulting impacts of all of the above on mental health.

Actions à entreprendre :

  • Action 1: Engage companies that are failing in their crisis management
  • Action 2: Engage where other harm is being hidden behind, or worsened by, the crisis
  • Action 3: Deprioritise engagement on other topics
  • Action 4: Publicly support an economy-wide response
  • Action 5: Participate in virtual AGMs
  • Action 6: Be receptive to requests for financial support
  • Action 7: Maintain a long-term focus in investment decision making

À la prochaine…