Publication

Regulators, investors, and other stakeholders are calling for increased disclosure of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) data. But companies face many challenges as they prepare to meet evolving disclosure rules in the United States and the European Union, along with the expectations of shareholders and society at large. Beyond disclosure, board oversight of ESG remains a heightened area of focus for companies, investors, and regulators.

On June 29 and 30, 2022, members of the North American Audit Committee Leadership Network (ACLN) and the European Audit Committee Leadership Network (EACLN) met to discuss how directors of large global firms provide governance and oversight of ESG matters.

This ViewPoints summarizes three themes that emerged from the discussion:

• Clarity on who owns each element of ESG oversight is key
• Evolving regulatory environments present continuing challenges
• Assuring ESG disclosure is difficult given a lack of common standards and frameworks