What ESG-Related Disclosures Should the SEC Mandate?

As the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission considers appropriate “ESG” disclosure mandates, the Financial Economist’s Roundtable contributes to the debate with a statement summarizing its policy discussion. The FER believes financial regulators should limit mandates to matters that directly affect the firm’s cash flows. Further, when issuer filings include ESG ratings, those filings should include information about the raters, the factors used, and the weights on the factors. The FER recommends that the SEC should not mandate disclosure of the firm’s impacts on environmental and social (E&S) outcomes