Research
ACCR produces research and analysis on the environmental, social and governance practices of corporate Australia.
Publications
Research
Investor briefing: Shareholder Resolution to Incitec Pivot Ltd on Paris-aligned targets
Supporting brief to our Shareholder Resolution to Incitec Pivot Ltd on Paris-aligned targets.
Research
Investor briefing: Sexual harassment as material risk
Investors need to better understand the different types of risks posed by sexual harassment, including long term financial risks, operational disruptions and reputational damage.
Research
BHP Climate Transition Action Plan Analysis
ACCR believes there is sufficient reason to vote against the approval of BHP’s Climate Transition Action Plan.
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Investor briefing: Shareholder Resolutions to Origin Energy Ltd on climate-related lobbying and Paris-aligned capital expenditure.
Supporting brief to our shareholder resolutions to Origin Energy Ltd (ASX: ORG) on climate-related lobbying and Paris-aligned capital expenditure.
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Investor briefing: Shareholder Resolution to BHP Group Ltd/Plc on climate-related lobbying
Supporting brief to our Shareholder Resolution to BHP Group Ltd/Plc on lobbying related to climate and energy policy.
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Super Votes: How Australia's largest superannuation funds voted on ESG resolutions in 2020
ACCR analysis of the disclosures and voting behaviour of Australia’s 50 largest superannuation funds on ESG shareholder resolutions.
Research
Falling through the Cracks? Labour hire, Contracting and Outsourcing Risks across the ASX100
ACCR analysis shows that company reporting across the ASX is insufficient to allow investors to engage with companies about their employment models and overall workforce strategy.
Research
Investor briefing: Shareholder Resolution to AGL Energy Ltd on Paris-aligned goals and targets.
Supporting investor brief to our Shareholder Resolution to AGL Energy Ltd (ASX:AGL) on Paris-aligned goals and targets.
Research
Submission: Clean Energy Regulator
A submission by ACCR in response to the proposed new carbon capture and storage method under the Emissions Reduction Fund.
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Submission: Senate Standing Committees on Economics
A submission by ACCR to the Coronavirus Economic Response Package Amendment (Ending Jobkeeper Profiteering) Bill 2021 Inquiry.
Research
Cleaning up their Act?: Modern Slavery Due Diligence in the Australian Property Sector
ACCR analysis shows that property owners continued to rely on reporting mechanisms that decades of evidence show will fail to pick up instances of modern slavery and labour abuse in their supply chains.
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Gaslighting: How APPEA and its members continue to oppose genuine climate action
Climate-aware investors in APPEA’s member companies must now assertively seek to curtail lobbying that is inconsistent with limiting global warming to well below 2°C.
Research
Submission: Joint Standing Committee on Trade and Investment Growth
A submission by ACCR and Ethical Partners Funds Management to the inquiry into the prudential regulation of investment in Australia’s export industries.
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Submission: Senate Select Committee on Job Security
ACCR's submission to the Senate Select Committee on Job Security analyses the dynamics, trends and impacts associated with this “fissuring” of the Australian workplace, highlighting the risks for workers, companies and investors.
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Cutting Carbon: What the rush to divest fossil fuels means for emissions reduction and engagement
The Australian share market is one of the most carbon intensive markets in the developed world. Portfolio decarbonisation must be transparent.
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Submission: Independent Planning Commission of NSW consideration of Narrabri Gas Project
The Narrabri project will imperil Australia’s commitments to the Paris Agreement and will also likely see the high cost of production create a stranded asset before the reserves are exhausted.
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Submission: Parliamentary Inquiry into the destruction of 46,000 year old caves at the Juukan Gorge
Submission by the Australasian Centre for Corporate Responsibility (ACCR) to the Joint Standing Committee on Northern Australia, Parliamentary Inquiry into the destruction of 46,000 year old caves at the Juukan Gorge in the Pilbara region of Western Australia.
Research
Submission: Review of Victoria’s Private Security Industry
ACCR's submission to the Victorian government's inquiry into the private security industry focuses on how the dominant employment model in the security industry - namely complex labour hire and subcontracting arrangements - has led to a culture of non-compliance and endemic failure to properly apply workplace laws and instruments.
Research
Two Steps Forward, One Step Back: How Australia’s largest super funds voted on shareholder proposals 2017-2019
All funds should disclose their entire proxy voting record, forevery proposal at every company meeting, across all jurisdictions.
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Labour Hire & Contracting Across the ASX100
New analysis shows that ASX100 companies are only reporting to shareholders and the public about their direct employees, while information about their 'indirect' workforces remains unknown. This report received the RIAA ESG Research (non-broker) Award in 2021.
Research
Submission: OECD Review of Country-by-Country Reporting
ACCR has commented on the review of the OECD’s Country-by-Country Reporting (BEPS Action 13) framework. The review is an opportunity to make significant improvements to the integrity of national and international tax systems.
Research
Submission: Unlawful underpayment of Employees' Remuneration Inquiry
ACCR and LUCRF Super have published a joint submission to the Inquiry on the Unlawful Underpayment of Employee’s Remuneration. ACCR and LUCRF Super support regulatory changes that would facilitate the uptake of multi-stakeholder arrangements involving suppliers, lead companies, workers and worker representatives, to mitigate modern slavery, underpayments, and other labour risks.
Research
Submission: Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety: Workforce Submissions
ACCR and Ethical Partners provided input on the discussion regarding the Aged Care workforce and on how to ensure service providers develop a culture of strong governance and workforce leadership. We believe that a considerable change in the business model, transparency and disclosure, staffing, training, monitoring and codes of conduct in this sector is required in order to consider future investment in the sector.
Research
Workforce Disclosures Across The ASX 100
Despite growing investor interest in workforce issues, engagement on these issues is hindered by poor reporting. This report analyses how Australian-listed companies are currently reporting on key workforce issues, including employee turnover, new hires, workforce composition, and health and safety.
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Submission: The regulation of lobbying access and influence in NSW (‘Operation Eclipse’)
A large part of ACCR’s work involves scrutinising the lobbying activities of Australian listed companies, as well as the industry associations that represent listed companies on various issues. ACCR has made a submission to The NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC)'s inquiry into Lobbying conduct and regulation in NSW.
Research
Vote Like You Mean It: A study of the proxy voting records of Australia’s largest super funds in 2018
ACCR has analysed the proxy voting records of Australia’s 50 largest superannuation funds in 2018, on 260 shareholder proposals on environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues across Australia, Canada, Japan, Norway, the United Kingdom and the United States (US).
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Measuring “decent work”: workforce indicators and their relevance for investors
There is increasing recognition of the importance of the workforce in delivering the long-term strategic objectives for a company. This briefing note outlines the financial, reputational, procurement and legal risks which may derive from a failure by companies and investors to properly engage on workforce issues.
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Briefing Note: Managing Imported Asbestos in Australian Supply Chains
Asbestos is still imported into Australia, despite an official ban. This briefing note describes how additional “workforce oversight” is essential in identifying asbestos which has made its way onto Australian worksites.
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Social risk and decent work in the health care sector
ACCR has published the first report in a series looking at the interrelationship between decent work and company performance. This report identifies the links between workforce issues and operational performance in the pharmaceutical distribution sector. It focuses on two ASX 200 companies in this sector: Australian Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. (API), and Sigma Healthcare Ltd. (SIG).
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Industry Associations, ASX Companies, Shareholder Interests and Lobbying
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Responsible investment policies and related voting transparency of selected Australian asset owners and fund managers
This report analyses the Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) policies, proxy voting policies and proxy voting disclosure records of 56 large Australian funds/fund managers.
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Report on social equity – related proxy voting in the US
This report examines shareholder resolution proposals and outcomes on four social equity issues: gender, sexual orientation, race and disability.
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Human Rights and Australian Listed Companies
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Corporate political expenditure in Australia
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Shareholder resolutions on ESG issues at listed public companies: comparative practice in Australia, the US & the UK
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Unburnable carbon’ risk and the Australasian-listed gentailers
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A Guide to Shareholder Advocacy in Australia
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Financed emissions, ‘unburnable carbon’ risk and the major Australian banks
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Shareholder resolutions at listed public companies in major English-speaking countries: comparative arrangements
