Companies that roll back DEI don’t perform better financially, study says

“Large corporations appear to have folded under pressure for no financial gain,” a public policy scholar wrote.

By Caroline Colvin • Aug. 25, 2026

Want a board seat? Xero’s CFO says being a good operator isn’t enough

Claire Bramley says CFOs chasing board seats need to show they can think like enterprise leaders, not just modern finance leaders.

By Adam Zaki • Aug. 24, 2026

Explore the Trendline➔

Top 5 stories from ESG Dive

The ESG landscape in the U.S. continues to shift, as federal agencies' efforts to recalibrate their approach to sustainability are juxtaposed with states forging ahead with their own climate disclosure laws.

By ESG Dive staff

Citi reports sustainable finance progress, sets new 2030 goals

The bank said it had committed $647.2 billion to sustainable financing since 2020, with CEO Jane Fraser noting its clients see resilience as a “competitive necessity.”

By Lamar Johnson • Aug. 24, 2026

B&G Foods’ Green Giant sale runs into antitrust concerns in Canada

The sale of two vegetable brands to Nortera Foods could lead to higher prices and fewer choices for consumers, the country’s Competition Bureau claimed.

By Christopher Doering • Aug. 21, 2026

Governance proposals rise as environmental and social filings plummet: report

Though governance proposals remain the most popular category among companies, support also fell for such proposals, The Conference Board found.

By Lamar Johnson • Aug. 20, 2026

Today’s water projects focus on ‘every last drop’: McCarthy water lead

As environmental concerns and surging tech builds draw more focus to water, new plants and infrastructure upgrades will continue to drive demand, said exec Jaren Murphy.

By Matthew Thibault • Aug. 20, 2026

Walmart flags fewer supplier standard violations

The retailer logged 754 cases in fiscal 2026, down 35% year over year, according to its latest ESG report.

By Kelly Stroh • Aug. 19, 2026

US calls for EU to ‘deliver’ on trade concessions on sustainability laws

The United States’ ambassador to the European Union said that the government will take “any actions necessary to address unreasonable burdens on U.S. commerce.”

By Lamar Johnson • Aug. 18, 2026

Executives put the spotlight on AI’s reliability issue

Only 35% of leaders say AI consistently delivers business outcomes, earns regulator confidence and allows control, according to a report from HFS Research and TCS.

By Makenzie Holland • Aug. 18, 2026

SEC says it will stop responding to no-action requests ‘entirely’

After sitting out the bulk of the no-action process in the 2025-26 proxy season, the SEC is now considering broader changes to the rule governing shareholder proposals.

By Lamar Johnson • Aug. 17, 2026

Labor market exhibits ‘continued resilience,’ The Conference Board finds

Multiple factors have made an already complex job market even more volatile this year, per a report.

By Lara Ewen • Aug. 17, 2026

‘Alienating and cruel’: EEOC files lawsuit against employer for segregating DEI training by race

This iteration of the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has been vocal about cracking down on DEI in the context of Title VII.

By Caroline Colvin • Aug. 14, 2026

CEOs eye job cuts as AI adoption grows

The trend is underscoring employee concerns about their long-term stability, according to a Businessolver survey.

By Roberto Torres • Aug. 12, 2026

H&M, Inditex and PVH’s garment manufacturer called out for alleged union-squashing

Employees of Turkish supplier Eroğlu Giyim, organized under garment workers’ union Öz İplik İş, said the apparel brands “should not remain silent while union rights are being violated.”

By Lauren Schenkman • Aug. 11, 2026

Revamping legacy data centers could help meet AI’s energy, load growth: Pado

Pado AI CEO Wannie Park discusses how the data center conversation has evolved and how older systems could help ease the load growth projections.

By Lamar Johnson • Aug. 10, 2026

Employers may not be training workers well enough for widespread AI disruption

Advanced skills, such as managing AI agents, do not tend to be the focus of employer training, The Conference Board said in a report.

By Kathryn Moody • Aug. 7, 2026

Sustainability data has become essential in evaluating real estate assets. A new deal seeks to boost access.

ESG data management and software company Measurabl has inked a partnership with fintech platform Inveniam to help companies better evaluate commercial real estate assets.

By Zoya Mirza • Aug. 6, 2026

Worker alleges lack of fossil fuel-free 401(k) option violated his religious rights

A lawsuit tying a worker’s climate objections to his Christian beliefs could set a precedent in the post-Groff landscape, his attorneys argued.

By Emilie Shumway • Aug. 5, 2026

Netflix’s first chief sustainability officer steps down

Emma Stewart is departing the streaming giant to join Climate Spring, which focuses on changing how climate change is depicted on film, television and popular culture.

By Zoya Mirza • Aug. 3, 2026

Paper producer Domtar agrees to pay $1.5M to settle clean air violations

The company will also undertake approximately $2.6 million worth of projects at its pulp and paper mill in Ashdown, Arkansas, to address emissions and to correct inadequate inspection and monitoring practices.

By Katie Pyzyk • Aug. 3, 2026

TotalEnergies buys all of Shell’s European renewable energy assets

The French multinational energy company will separately sell a 50% stake in a 1.2 GW renewables portfolio, valued at €1.8 billion ($2.07 billion), to investment firm KKR.

By Lamar Johnson • Aug. 3, 2026

Most US companies lack mature AI governance frameworks

Companies are spending on governance, but aren't fully prepared as agentic AI spreads, a Schellman report found.

By Paige Gross • July 31, 2026

Sustainability teams narrowing focus, prioritizing compliance in 2026: report

Compliance and reporting requirements have emerged as a top driver for corporate sustainability teams as ESG enters a phase of “fewer, clearer priorities,” according to a new survey from GlobeScan and BSR.

By Lauren Schenkman • July 31, 2026

Pulling back from DEI increases legal risk — and costs organizations qualified women

Gender equity researcher Amy Diehl offers eight pillars for HR to keep in mind regarding diversity and inclusion at work.

By Amy Diehl • July 30, 2026

Ceres adds NYC comptroller, former EPA administrator to board

Mark Levine and Gina McCarthy — who led the Biden administration’s climate policy office — were among five additions made to the sustainability nonprofit’s board of directors.

By Lamar Johnson • July 29, 2026