Compas Poll / Survey

In the United States, major state government officials and pension funds called on the Securities and Exchange Commission to require all public companies to report annually on how they address climate change risks. Prior to this, the Canadian Institute of Chartered Accountants produced a draft blueprint for how companies should report on these matters.

The COMPAS panel of CEOs and business leaders were asked for their views on the climate-related reporting requirements of public companies. They were also asked for their views about whether Canada should act quickly on the assumption that green house gases could have a devastating climate-change- related impact or whether action should await more evidence.

On both matters, panellists are ambivalent and uncertain. They continue to be uncertain about the true facts of climate change, as they were in late 2006. As for reporting requirements, a very slim majority might be potentially receptive to requiring public companies to report their strategies for reducing green house emissions related to climate change (49% favour vs. 31% oppose).

No majority, slim or otherwise, is apt to emerge in the immediate future for other, more detailed reporting obligations. For example, 31% support while 46% oppose requiring public companies to report on “strategies for employing personnel with the skills relevant to these issues.”

These are the key findings from the current web-survey of the panel of CEOs and business leaders undertaken for the Financial Post under sponsorship of BDO Dunwoody LLP.