Requirements and expectations related to commitment to and disclosures around sustainability or ESG topics continue to increase globally. These requirements are distinct from typical financial reporting constructs, given their focus on the disclosure of future sustainability or ESG related goals and targets, the strategy and governance designed to achieve those targets, and reporting of relevant metrics delineating progress towards those targets. Additionally, sustainability or ESG related disclosure requirements may use different definitions of materiality than those used for financial statement disclosures, including a focus on so-called “double materiality,” which can evaluate a sustainability or ESG matter as material, regardless of its direct impact on us, based on broader societal impacts.
Given evolving requirements and the associated standards, methodologies, processes, and controls related to sustainability and ESG related requirements and disclosures that may impact us or our clients, diverging requirements across jurisdictions, and distinct definitions and standards for materiality that could result in conflicting disclosures across frameworks, we may make disclosures that are incorrect or incomplete or fail to make required disclosures, which may result in regulatory or reputational consequences or that may directly or indirectly impact our ability to attract and retain clients.
Further, fiduciary, anti-competitive, voting power, governance, and other concerns with ESG investment strategies continue to be the subject of legislative and regulatory debate globally, particularly at both the federal and state levels in the U.S., the outcomes of which could impact both our asset management business and our clients, as well as, potentially, our investment activities more broadly. Certain U.S. officials have suggested that sustainability or ESG related investing practices may result in violations of law, including antitrust laws, and breaches of fiduciary duty. Views on sustainability or ESG practices, particularly those related to climate issues, have also become part of political discourse, which can amplify the reputational risks associated with such allegations. Further risks related to ESG investment strategies include negative market perception and diminished sales effectiveness and regulatory and litigation consequences associated with greenwashing claims or driven by association with certain clients, industries or products that may be inconsistent with our other clients’ ESG priorities.