Governance/Regulation & Compliance

An SEC ruling is expected to change reporting requirements for ESG metrics, including DEI metrics and policies, labor practices, recruitment and retention, and rewards and benefits.

"For the first time in U.S. states, companies will need to collect meaningful permissions from their customers to gather and apply data relating to the customers' position on the globe."

This year, legal and business risks will be heightened for companies with international supply and distribution chains, especially those operating in highly regulated industries.

The U.S. Treasury said its database will contain personal information on the owners of at least 32 million U.S. businesses as part of an effort to combat illicit finance.

The SEC will more aggressively pursue clawbacks of CEO and CFO bonuses or stock-sale profits when their firms engage in misconduct.

In general, a compliance culture will help you avoid costly pitfalls like having to rebuild a product or service offering due to legal issues or negative publicity; it will also lower the risk of lost trust and lawsuits, which can be game-ending.

The fight against corruption, and the implementation of compliance programs to prevent bad practices in public and private companies, is more accessible than ever before, thanks to blockchain technology.

Lawyers warn that companies need to police themselves now, to ensure their ESG disclosures are "able to withstand public and regulatory scrutiny."