This multi-jurisdictional guide covers common issues in environmental, social and governance law.
Topics covered include principal sources of ESG pressure, integration of ESG into business operations, and the impact of COVID-19.
Recently more countries in the Asia-Pacific region have introduced gender quotas, or targets, to increase female participation on boards of listed companies. This article takes a look at the impact of these measures and the progress made so far.
How to make a strong positive impact when starting a new job as general counsel? Find practical tips and strategies shared by experienced in-house counsel and condensed by ACC in this toolkit. Nine checklists that distill insight from general counsel, from acing your first 90 days to developing your leadership and business skills and retaining talent on your team.
In April 2022, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed the “Stop WOKE” Act (HB 7) into law. The Act has drawn national attention and debate, as it creates legal restrictions and prohibitions on what public and private employers can say or promote in workplace trainings tied to race, color, sex, and/or national origin. The Act could have potentially significant implications for employers wishing to cover topics like structural racism, white/male privilege and unconscious bias in workplace anti-discrimination and diversity and inclusion trainings.
This article, developed by Latham & Watkins, covers the ruling in Crest v. Padilla I and II that found that the California Corporations Code Section 301.3 (SB 826) and Assembly Bill 979 (AB 979) were in violation of the Equal Protection Clause of the California Constitution. Read the article to learn more.
The EU AI Act is hotly anticipated as being a benchmark AI law that other jurisdictions might look towards when developing their own laws (much like GDPR has become a standard upon which some other countries’ own laws are based). First, much like the GDPR in terms of impact, the EU AI Act will have an extra-territorial scope, extending to providers and users of AI outside the EU where the output is used in the EU. Secondly, the Act does lay down fixed penalties for certain infringements of the Act, the highest fine being 30,000,000 EUR or 6% of a company’s total worldwide annual turnover (3% in the case of an SME or start-up) for non-compliance with the prohibitions of AI practices.
This article discusses The Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (“PWFA”) which creates new rights to reasonable accommodation for employees and applicants who have physical or mental conditions arising from pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions. The PWFA expands accommodation rights for pregnant individuals to be more in line with -- and in some respects, more expansive than -- those provided to qualified individuals with disabilities under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
In this multi-country guide, learn about the laws regarding discrimination and equality in a wide range of jurisdictions.
On 27 July 2022, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) published a Policy Statement (PS22/9) and Finalised Guidance (FG22/5) setting out final rules and guidance on the new Consumer Duty (the Duty). The Duty sets higher expectations of the standard of care that firms give consumers.
Florida's "Stop WOKE Act” (HB7) restricts employers from requiring diversity training that “espouses, promotes, advances, inculcates, or compels [employees] to believe” certain prohibited concepts related to race, color, sex or national origin." While Florida's law is the first of its kind, there is speculation that other states could adopt similar legislation in the future.