This Week in ESG and Impact Investing

William Michael Cunningham submitted a "Friend of the Court" brief in a case currently pending before the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. The case concerns the rejection, by a Federal Judge, of a settlement agreed to by the United States Securities & Exchange Commission (SEC) and Citigroup Global Markets Inc. (Citigroup), the latter accused of securities fraud. As a friend to the Court, Mr. Cunningham seeks to provide an independent, objective and unbiased view in support of broad public interests. His education and experience have uniquely positioned him to provide objective, independent research and opinions concerning the issues central to the case. The "Friend of the Court" brief concludes by noting that markets have become less stable. Faulty regulatory practices and collusion (too big to fail, etc.) have moved regulators and lawmakers..in the direction of supporting suppliers to the financial service marketplace. A decision by the (A

"The Securities and Exchange Commission..announced that Pamela A. Gibbs has been named as the inaugural Director of the Office of Minority and Women Inclusion, which oversees diversity in the agency's employment, management, and business activities. Ms. Gibbs comes to the SEC from the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, where she has served since October 2009 as the Director of its Office of Diversity and Inclusion. In that role, Ms. Gibbs was the principal advisor to the CFTC Chairman on equal employment and diversity matters, and oversaw outreach and recruitment of minority and women's groups. She also worked with the agency's Office of General Counsel and Office of Human Resources to ensure fairness and consistency in the agency's personnel policies and practices. Prior to the CFTC, Ms. Gibbs.. started in 1991 as a trial attorney in the Civil Rights Division (of the Department of Labor). She later was Acting Deputy Director for Program Operation in the Office