Lobbying Governance
| Overall Assessment | Analysis | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Limited |
Verizon discloses that lobbying-related oversight resides at Board level, noting that “The Corporate Governance and Policy Committee oversees Verizon’s sustainability matters and Verizon’s position and engagement on important public policy issues that may affect our business and reputation,” and that “Verizon’s Executive Vice President and Chief Administrative, Legal, and Public Policy Officer (CAO) provides the Committee with an annual update on the current policy issues facing the company.” In addition, the company states that “The Corporate Governance and Policy Committee, which met five times in 2022, oversees Verizon’s sustainability strategy and our public policy engagement,” and that the Chief ESG Officer “briefs the Committee several times each year” on ESG priorities. These statements indicate that a specific Board committee regularly receives information and provides oversight of the company’s public-policy engagement, implying at least a basic governance structure for lobbying. However, the disclosures stop short of describing any concrete process for monitoring or aligning direct or indirect lobbying with climate objectives—there is no reference to trade-association reviews, escalation procedures, or criteria for assessing policy alignment—and no mention of dedicated lobbying audits or of individuals charged with enforcing such alignment. Consequently, while the existence of a committee that reviews public-policy engagement suggests limited governance, the company does not disclose a detailed mechanism for ensuring its climate lobbying aligns with stated climate goals or for managing misalignment, leaving significant gaps in transparency and accountability.
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D |