Parametric ESG insurance

February 14, 2025

As SEC sees it, we live in a Manichean world where allies are pliant, and anyone who is anything else, is an activist. No more engagement to offer a gentle nudge. "Investors that threaten to vote against directors' reelection if the company is not aligned with their stewardship policies or views on environmental, social or governance issues will not be considered passive and must instead file a Schedule 13D as activists, according to a new compliance and disclosure interpretation released by the SEC's Division of Corporation Finance this week.

As SEC sees it, we live in a Manichean world where allies are pliant, and anyone who is anything else, is an activist. No more engagement to offer a gentle nudge. “Investors that threaten to vote against directors’ reelection if the company is not aligned with their stewardship policies or views on environmental, social or governance issues will not be considered passive and must instead file a Schedule 13D as activists, according to a new compliance and disclosure interpretation released by the SEC’s Division of Corporation Finance this week.

February 4, 2025

Target failed to warn investors of risks associated with its mandates regarding its ESG/DEI initiatives.

Great companies with the most sophisticated boards will sometimes disappoint stakeholders. In our increasingly chaotic economic and political business environment, some customers, employees, regulators or investors will feel betrayed and act. This class action was filed against Target and thirteen of its Directors. In May 2023, Target faced immense customer backlash to its ambitious LGBT- “Pride Month” marketing and sales campaign, one of its featured ESG/DEI initiatives. […] The Complaint alleges that during the Class Period, Target failed to warn investors of risks associated with its mandates regarding its ESG/DEI initiatives and that this deceit, through misleading statements in the Company’s public filings, caused Target’s investors to purchase Target stock at artificially inflated prices and to unknowingly support Target’s Board and management in their misuse of investor funds to serve political and social goals.

January 27, 2025

"Whether they condone, condemn or ignore such comments, some dutiful and conscientious board members will paradoxically suffer personal reputational harm if aggrieved stakeholders feel betrayed."

Public comments made by Cleveland-Cliffs’ CEO and chair against Japan and Nippon Steel that appeared to reference the 1945 nuclear bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki drew swift condemnation and underscore the precariousness of trying to win favor with the incoming administration, sources told Agenda. […] “Over the next few years, we will see a lot of strategic cultural posturing by executives like Mr. Goncalves,” Kossovsky said. “Whether they condone, condemn or ignore such comments, some dutiful and conscientious board members will paradoxically suffer personal reputational harm if aggrieved stakeholders feel betrayed.”

January 23, 2025

So, sustained loss ratios: stable returns, higher returns, and IP-protected extended returns over years,” explained Kossovsky.

Steel City Re is the world’s only provider of parametric reputation insurance offerings, leveraging a reputational value index that delivers more stable and higher returns for reinsurers and insurance-linked securities (ILS) investors, according to co-founder and CEO Nir Kossovsky. […] “So, sustained loss ratios: stable returns, higher returns, and IP-protected extended returns over years,” explained Kossovsky.

December 4, 2024

Governance experts including the National Association of Corporate Directors and other authorities are encouraging boards to support management more closely in an "uncertain — and possibly volatile — environment," even at the risk of appearing to micromanage. But with engagement comes culpability for the reactions of already-angry stakeholders. Simply put, the costs of leaning into a reputation crisis may include the dispensation of board members whose personal losses will not be covered by D&O liability insurance. Board members need personal reputation insurance.

Governance experts including the National Association of Corporate Directors and other authorities are encouraging boards to support management more closely in an “uncertain — and possibly volatile — environment,” even at the risk of appearing to micromanage. But with engagement comes culpability for the reactions of already-angry stakeholders. Simply put, the costs of leaning into a reputation crisis may include the dispensation of board members whose personal losses will not be covered by D&O liability insurance. Board members need personal reputation insurance.