311-320 of 659 results
ACCC loses 'flushable wipes' appeal due to pleading and evidentiary issues
The decision in ACCC v Kimberly-Clark Australia identifies pleading and evidentiary issues in the ACCC's case, and provides useful guidance for companies about how courts will interpret product representations and what will be considered the relevant 'context' of representations made in marketing ...
Allens' submission to the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Corporations and Financial Services Inquiry into litigation funding and the regulation of the class action industry
Allens has advocated for reform to the class action regime for many years, including by way of submissions to inquiries conducted by the Australian Law Reform Commission and the Victorian Law Reform Commission. We have made a detailed submission to the current inquiry in which we outline our concerns regarding the increasingly entrepreneurial direction of Australia's class action landscape and advocate for (and against) various reforms. ...
New EU mandatory human rights and environmental due diligence regime
The European Commission has announced it will introduce a legislative initiative in 2021 on mandatory human rights and environmental due diligence for certain companies. ...
What courts and regulators expect from corporate compliance
The recent decision of ACCC v Bupa Aged Care contains valuable lessons on the importance of compliance programs. They include how quickly improving or implementing such programs can lead to lower penalties; the extent to which regulators and courts favourably view effective compliance programs when assessing penalties, and what features they consider to be essential. ...
Disclosure of climate-related financial risk: major change is imminent
There has been a global proliferation of voluntary reporting standards that companies might adopt with respect to disclosure of climate change-related financial risk. ...
Emissions regulation and liability – NGERs and the Safeguard Mechanism
The National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting (NGER) scheme requires some companies to account for the scope 1 and scope 2 emissions they are responsible for. Scope 1 emissions are direct emissions for which a company is responsible, whilst scope 2 emissions are indirect emissions from the purchase o ...
Shareholder resolutions
Shareholders are becoming increasingly aware of climate change risks. Since early 2017, both Australian and foreign companies have faced a wave of climate change-related shareholder activism. Ceres maintains a Climate and Sustainability Shareholder Resolutions Database, which at February 2020 showe ...
Treasurer temporarily amends continuous disclosure laws during COVID-19 crisis
The Treasurer has used his emergency powers under the Corporations Act (the Act) to temporarily modify the operation of Australia's continuous disclosure laws. The Treasurer's release states that the changes are designed to enable listed companies to more confidently provide earnings guidance ...
A 'high risk' jurisdiction: climate change and directors' duties
Australian law requires certain standards of conduct of company directors, including that directors act in the best interests of the company and exercise care and diligence in performing their role. ...
Increasing climate litigation and shareholder action expected
There is a growing trend for legal action against corporates, particularly energy companies and financial firms. Many commentators, including former Chief Justice French, have predicted a continued rise in climate change litigation in Australia. ...