This has been a lukewarm year for M&A the world over,
with Brexit uncertainty and the trade war between China and the
US seen as key drivers.
There is a silver lining: M&A deals are leading to
heightened environmental standards for companies across the
board, according to
new research from Cass Business School. However, a lack of
concrete guidelines – except for voluntary schemes
– is leaving companies unsure about where they
stand.
"What we have noticed on the buyside is that ESG
[environmental, social and governance] is increasingly being
considered as part of marketing," said Eleanor
Reeves, counsel at Ashurst, who added that this is
intended to attract investors and purchasers in the
anticipation that they will be looking at and assessing ESG
performance.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Financial players are increasingly investing in
company ESG standards in anticipation of regulation, for their
reputation, and also to recruit...