Breakout: Climate Risk, Sustainability, and the Board

Directors play a critical role in ensuring that companies are prepared to assess and respond to the threats that climate change poses to their business while also capitalizing on emerging opportunities. In recent years, shareholders have come to expect boards to understand and exercise more diligent oversight over environmental impacts of the company’s activities and their effect on long-term value creation. Investors have begun to agitate for structural governance reforms to address these matters more effectively, including improved disclosures, the development of special committees, and the addition of directors with climate expertise. How can companies integrate climate change into their boardroom discussions on strategy and risk oversight? What can companies do to educate the board and develop climate-competent directors? What are the reputational risks that may arise from the company’s approach in addressing and communicating about climate-related issues? This session will highlight constructive strategies that boards can use to address the risks and opportunities brought about by climate change, as well as the increasing demands of investors and other stakeholders on climate and sustainability issues.