Oct. 30, 2018
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission is the federal agency charged with protecting investors from corporate abuse. The SEC should require corporate managers to be honest with their shareholders about how they are planning for the long term. Shareholders have a right to know if oil executives are trying to buy off politicians to slow progress on addressing climate change. They have a right to know whether the company is cultivating diversity on its board or moving profits abroad to avoid paying taxes in the U.S. They have a right to know if CEOs are spending corporate money to try elect politicians who want to defund Scoial Security, Medicaid, and Medicare. And they have a right to know if CEOs are spending corporate money to support politicians who will further deregulate Wall Street and banks. 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. Jeanne Larson