Oct. 18, 2018
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission should require corporate managers to be honest with their shareholders about how they are planning for the long term and how they are using their funds to influence our political system. Absolute transparency should be required. For example, shareholders have a right to know if oil executives are trying to buy off politicians to slow progress on addressing climate change, if a company is cultivating diversity on its board or if a company is moving profits abroad to avoid paying taxes in the U.S. These are just a few examples of the environmental, social, and governance (ESG) risks that the SEC should require public companies to disclose to their shareholders and the public. Thank you for considering my comment. Patrick and Robin Wittrock