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Business Wire
Appointment reflects company commitment to driving business outcomes and delivering value through its environmental, social, governance and financial strategy
ORANGE, Conn. (BUSINESS WIRE) AVANGRID, Inc. (NYSE: AGR), a leading sustainable energy company, announced today that Zsoka McDonald has been appointed as the company’s first-ever Chief Sustainability Officer and Senior Vice President of Corporate Communications. In this role, McDonald will add oversight of the company’s sustainability strategy for AVANGRID to her existing responsibilities, with a focus on accelerating the company’s commitment to delivering sustainable value through its environmental, social, governance commitments and financial strength. She will also continue to lead internal and external communications for the company and will oversee the AVANGRID Foundation, the company’s primary philanthropic arm.
Not surprisingly, companies that were hit hard by the pandemic downturn were much more likely to lay off employees, even if those companies had been in strong financial shape beforehand. But hard-hit companies that benefited from strong cash reserves were only half as likely as their financially weaker counterparts to impose layoffs.
“If companies had cash reserves, they seemed willing to use some of them to help their employees,” Lester says.
At least as important, however, was whether a company had previously made a strong commitment to treat its workers well. In fact, companies with strong finances but weak commitments to workers were more likely to lay off employees than were companies with similarly strong finances and strong commitments to their workforce.
GreenBiz Group
The 2021 proxy season is officially here much awaited after the tumultuous events of 2020. From how businesses chose to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic to the escalating outcry over racial justice to the increasing urgency around climate change, there is much for companies to answer for this year.
The annual proxy season is also an important harbinger of change in how companies are evolving their governance models and approach to environmental and social issues.
So, what are some ESG issues rising to the top for investors this year? And what could that mean for a corresponding evolution in how companies manage, measure and disclose their ESG risks and efforts?
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Recently, Basecamp s CEO banned employees from talking about politics and social issues at work.
Diversity consultants say the move is a leadership failure.
People cannot simply turn off parts of who they are, experts said.
In the wake of mass shootings, an insurrection, restrictive voting laws, and George Floyd s murder, CEOs are increasingly facing pressure to speak out on social and political issues and facilitate conversations with employees on such topics.
But in an attempt to steer clear of hot-button issues, some business leaders are moving away from the trend of taking a stand, and others want to minimize potentially polarizing conversations at work.