Fasken’s Capital Markets and Mergers & Acquisitions practice group cordially invites you to join us at our annual Proxy Season Preview as we address current topics on the minds of leaders of public companies.

Our panels will explore the following themes, among others:

Panel One: Climate Change and Climate Disclosure

COP 28, the current United Nations Climate Change conference, has just concluded. It has been almost a decade since COP 21 concluded resulting in the Paris Agreement. The Paris Agreement resulted in countries agreeing to pursue efforts to limit the world’s temperature increase to 1.5o C above pre-industrial levels. How has this commitment at the international level translated to commitments by corporations and potential disclosure requirements by regulators? We explore this evolution of this climate change focus and what it means for climate disclosure by public
companies. Our panel will discuss:

• How we got here, including the Paris Agreement commitment and current sentiment
• Net-zero commitments
• Drivers of GHG and climate reporting
• Regulatory reporting requirement updates; and
• Litigation risk; and
• The anti-ESG movement.

Panelists:

• Lisa De Marco, Senior Partner | CEO, Resilient LLP
• Pierre-Olivier Charlebois, Partner | Environment, Mining, Energy & Climate Change, Fasken
• Gordon Raman, Partner | M&A & Corporate Governance, Chair ESG & Sustainability
• Practice, Fasken (Moderator)

Panel Two: Business & Human Rights and Preparing for Modern Slavery Legislation
Reporting

In January 2024, the Fighting Against Forced Labour and Child Labour in Supply Chains Act will come into force. Businesses to which the Act applies (which are more than one might guess) will be required to produce their first annual reports on or before May 31, 2024. This panel will consider:

• The context in which the Act was passed
• Which entities the Act applies to
• Reporting requirements, board responsibilities, and financial penalties for violations; and
• The possible next step: mandatory human rights due diligence (mHRDD) legislation.

Panelists:

• Claudia Feldkamp, Counsel | Governance, Anti-Bribery, Corruption, Fasken
• Christopher Pigott, Partner | Employment, Labour and Business & Human Rights, Fasken
• Clifford Sosnow, Partner | Chair International Trade & Investment Group, Fasken
• Gordon Raman, Partner | M&A & Corporate Governance, Chair ESG & Sustainability Practice, Fasken (Moderator)

Agenda:

• January 10, 2024, in person and via webinar
• Panel One: 4:00 pm – 4:45 pm
• Panel Two: 4:45 pm – 5:30 pm
• Cocktail Reception: 5:30 pm