Registration Form: https://forms.gle/ZJFavqm5jeJLD6eW9

Introduction

In a world where promises shape perceptions and drive decisions, the integrity of commitments made by politicians, corporate leaders, and public figures should be scrutinized. These promises, ranging from environmental sustainability to social responsibility and governance ethics, significantly influence the general public's/stakeholders' trust and government/corporate reputation. Yet, the complexity and abundance of such commitments, coupled with the challenge of verifying their fulfillment, create a pressing need for innovative approaches to assess their strength and verifiability.

Recognizing the critical role of transparency and accountability in today's society, we, an interdisciplinary team, propose a groundbreaking task: the Promise Verification. In the evolving landscape of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) criteria, the ability to accurately assess a company's commitment and adherence to its ESG promises has become paramount. To this end, we collect ESG reports released by companies, and break down the task into four subtasks. 

The introduction and successful implementation of the Promise Verification tasks are expected to have impacts on various fronts, including enhanced accountability and transparency, empowerment of stakeholders, policy and regulation shaping, and increased social and environmental impact. For example, by providing a systematic and scalable approach to verify promises, this task could significantly improve the transparency of organizations and public figures, compelling them to adhere more closely to their commitments. This, in turn, could foster greater trust and credibility among stakeholders and the general public. Additionally, equipped with data and insights from the Promise Verification task, stakeholders, including consumers, investors, and the general public, could make more informed decisions based on the verifiable actions and commitments of organizations and leaders. Ultimately, by holding entities accountable for their promises, especially those related to ESG commitments, this task could contribute to more tangible progress in addressing environmental issues, promoting social justice, and ensuring ethical governance, leading to a more sustainable and equitable world.

Baseline Paper: https://arxiv.org/abs/2411.04473v1

Contact: https://groups.google.com/g/promiseeval