There is increased public awareness regarding climate change. This increased focus has led to international treaties and agreements and legislative and regulatory efforts. In addition to the risks discussed under the risk factors titled “The Company may be negatively impacted by extreme weather conditions and natural catastrophic events, including those caused or intensified by climate change and global warming” and “Increasing scrutiny and expectations regarding ESG matters could result in additional costs or risks or otherwise adversely impact our business,” the Company may also be subject to larger, global climate change initiatives, laws, regulations or orders, such as any laws or regulations to implement the Paris Climate Agreement, which seek to reduce greenhouse gas (“GHG”) emissions. In addition to government requirements, our customers are also increasingly imposing climate-related requirements on their suppliers, including us. Any failure, or perceived failure, to comply with these requirements may result in reduced demand for our products, reputational harm, or other adverse impacts to our business.
Given our global manufacturing presence, any future regulations relating to GHG emissions and/or other climate change-related laws and regulations, beyond initiatives already in process at the Company, could subject us to additional and/or unforeseen compliance costs and limitations, increased energy and raw material costs and incremental capital expenditure requirements. In addition, governmental bodies are increasingly adopting and considering adopting additional mandatory climate-related reporting obligations, and potentially GHG emissions reduction requirements, and these regulatory developments, to the extent we are subject to them, will likely result in increased corporate and operational general and administrative efforts and associated costs and expenses.
There have been various new laws around the world that have been passed and will require additional ESG-related disclosure. For example, in Europe, the EU finalized the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (“CSRD”), which introduces more prescriptive sustainability reporting requirements for EU companies as well as certain non-EU companies, and will apply to all in-scope companies by January 1, 2028. In the United States, the SEC has proposed climate-related disclosure rules that have not yet been enacted as of the date of this report, and certain states have begun to pass their own ESG-related laws. For example, on October 7, 2023, the governor of California signed and enacted into law two climate-related disclosure bills (SB-253, Climate Corporate Data Accountability Act and SB-261, Greenhouse Gases: Climate-Related Financial Risk), which will require compliance as early as 2026.
Any future regulatory changes in any of the jurisdictions in which we operate could result in transition risks to the Company, including, but not limited to: (i) the nature and timing of any requirement to lower GHG emissions and adopt more energy-efficient energy use, which could result in changes or disruptions to the way the Company operates, (ii) financial risks where the compliance with such regulations requires unforeseen capital expenditures and becomes costly or financially burdensome, (iii) legal risks associated with the failure to adapt to or comply with future climate change-related regulations, (iv) risks of climate litigation associated with our disclosures and/or operations; (v) risks associated with the implementation of any new technologies required to comply with such regulations, which could impede our ability to develop new products, meet customer and market demand or compete on pricing and quality in the market, and/or (vi) reputational risks associated with our customers’ and investors’ perceptions of the Company and their preferences for maintaining relationships with companies with lower emissions, all of which could harm our reputation in the marketplace.
Item 1B. Unresolved Staff Comments
None.
Item 1C. Cybersecurity