Climate data firm Persefoni has hired a former SEC lawyer to bolster its regulatory department ahead of forthcoming rules from the regulator on climate disclosure.
Last week the company announced that it had brought on Emily Pierce as associate general counsel and vice president of global regulatory climate disclosure. Previously, Pierce was assistant director in the office of international affairs at the Securities and Exchange Commission.
That followed the company’s hiring in March of Kristina Wyatt, who is now its deputy general counsel and senior vice-president of global regulatory climate disclosure. Prior that that, Wyatt was senior counsel for climate and ESG to the SEC’s director of the division of corporation finance.
In the role, Pierce will help the firm’s customers and partners comply with climate disclosure regulations and adopt best practices for measuring and reporting emissions, the company stated in its announcement.
While at the SEC, Pierce had advised the regulator on international policies around climate and sustainability, including engagement with the International Organization of Securities Commissions. Prior to her work at the SEC, she worked at law firm Debevoise & Plimpton.
“Companies and investors need comparable, reliable carbon footprint data to understand their climate-related risks, the potential business impact, and to comply with emerging disclosure regulations and standards,” Pierce said in the company’s announcement.
“There is tremendous opportunity for Persefoni to expand its leadership in building market capability and trust in carbon accounting.”
Earlier this year, the SEC proposed several rules around climate disclosure, the most impactful of which could be its Enhancement and Standardization of Climate-Related Disclosures for Investors. That rule, which is expected to be finalized next year, would require public companies to disclose their greenhouse gas emissions.
