This practice note explores the evolving trends and practices surrounding the disclosure of political contributions by public companies, particularly in the context of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) issues. It highlights the increasing calls from legal academics, investors, and activist shareholders for the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to mandate disclosures on corporate political spending.

On March 31, 2025, the U.S. House Financial Services Committee (Committee) penned a letter to acting Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Chair Mark Uyeda identifying 14 proposed and final rules that, according to the Committee, should be withdrawn in their entirety. All of the cited rules were proposed or implemented under prior SEC Chair Gary…

On March 27, 2025, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) voted to end its defense of the climate-related disclosure rules, which, even as scaled back when finally adopted, still would have required fairly substantial disclosures regarding climate-related risks as well as, for certain companies, disclosures relating to greenhouse gas emissions.  As a result, agency attorneys…

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s Investor Advisory Committee (the “Committee”) will meet March 6, 2025.  During this meeting, the Committee will present its recommendations to the SEC concerning traceability issues under Section 11 of the Securities Act of 1933.  The agenda also includes a panel on Artificial Intelligence (AI)-related disclosures and another on retail…

Members of the US Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) continue to share their views about the Commission’s current priorities, and Monday was Acting Chairman Mark Uyeda’s turn.  Speaking at the Florida Bar’s 41st Annual Federal Securities Institute and M&A Conference on February 24, 2025, Acting Chairman Uyeda provided his thoughts on where the Commission…

On January 27, 2025, US Securities and Exchange Commission Commissioner Hester Peirce gave the keynote address at the Northwestern Securities Regulation Institute in which she offered her personal views on how public companies and, to some extent, the SEC in working with public companies might move away from “importing politics and contentious social issues” into…