Exclusive: Corporate social responsibility teams facing increased pressure, burnout in 2026

Professionals in charge of executing companies' social strategy are increasingly being asked to make the business case for their work and measure impacts, according to a new survey from the Association of Corporate Citizenship Professionals.

By Lauren Schenkman • July 15, 2026

New York sues chemical titans over alleged PFAS exposure

The state accused 3M, DuPont, Chemours, Corteva and Corteva subsidiary EIDP, of deliberately manufacturing, marketing and selling consumer products laced with per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances.

By Sara Samora • July 15, 2026

Explore the Trendline➔

The evolution of the voluntary carbon credit market

Companies are increasingly relying on carbon credits to cut their emissions and meet climate goals, despite a dynamic regulatory environment and increased ESG scrutiny.

By ESG Dive staff

Shell sells India-based renewables business for $1.8B

The energy giant will sell its stake in Sprng Energy to Aditya Birla Renewables, which counts the BlackRock-owned Global Infrastructure Partners as a minority owner.

By Lamar Johnson • July 14, 2026

PepsiCo improves sustainable sourcing, delays emissions reporting

The company reported a four percentage point increase in sustainably sourced ingredients in 2025 but will release Scope 3 emissions metrics later this summer.

By Phil Neuffer • Updated July 14, 2026

Microsoft’s data center expansion drove 25% emissions spike in 2025: report

The tech giant also saw its scope 2 emissions rise sharply, after it sunsetted its use of unbundled renewable energy certificates last year.

By Lamar Johnson • July 13, 2026

EU Commission adopts revised sustainability reporting standards

The changes are expected to remove over 70% of data points from the European Sustainability Reporting Standards and cut compliance costs by 30% per company.

By Lamar Johnson • July 10, 2026

3M elevates company veteran to chief sustainability officer

Amanda Yates, who has been with the company for more than 13 years, will step in as CSO starting this month. She most recently served as 3M’s senior director of global sustainability.

By Zoya Mirza • July 8, 2026

EV transition challenges auto supply chain resilience, Moody’s says

Legacy automakers have the added complexity of having to run different supply chains, for ICE, hybrid and EV powertrains.

By Paul Myles • July 7, 2026

Walmart signs nuclear PPA with Constellation to support Illinois operations

The companies said the deal marks Walmart’s first nuclear power purchase agreement and is “among the first of its kind between a large retailer and a nuclear energy facility in the United States.”

By Lamar Johnson • July 7, 2026

Analysts expect rising PPA prices as clean energy tax credits phase out

“That missing money has to come from somewhere to make the project pencil, and that will likely be through PPA prices,” said Josh Price, director of intelligence and research at Crux.

By Diana DiGangi • July 7, 2026

Graphic Packaging releases sustainability report as CSO departs

Michelle Fitzpatrick was GPI’s inaugural chief sustainability officer and exits after nearly five years in the role. Meanwhile, the company’s sustainability report showed small regressions on emissions and product recyclability efforts.

By Katie Pyzyk • July 6, 2026

ISS, Glass Lewis score wins against Kansas, Indiana anti-ESG laws

Federal judges issued preliminary injunctions to stop the implementation of laws targeting the proxy advisers in the two states.

By Lamar Johnson • Updated July 1, 2026

CEOs, CIOs clash over AI’s value

C-suite executives see the technology from different vantage points, but maturity and alignment of objectives could bring them closer together, a Protiviti survey found.

By Paige Gross • July 1, 2026

Zillow faces class-action lawsuit over Redfin deal

An investor filed a class-action lawsuit in June, claiming he was misled about the nature of the apartment listing giants’ partnership. Zillow has also been sued by the FTC and several states over the deal.

By Julie Strupp • June 30, 2026

MSCI acquires First Street to expand physical climate risk modeling

The climate risk tech and data company’s acquisition will help financial institutions embed climate risk calculations “directly into how capital is priced and allocated,” First Street founder Matthew Eby said.

By Lamar Johnson • June 29, 2026

California to sue Trump administration over offshore wind buybacks

The lease cancellations “are causing ongoing harm” to California, which has “invested more than $100 million to support the development of wind energy,” the state’s attorney general said.

By Diana DiGangi • June 29, 2026

CARB delays emissions reporting deadline by 3 months

The agency said it will delay the compliance deadline for California’s SB 253 — the Climate Corporate Data Accountability Act — and propose “limited changes.”

By Lamar Johnson • June 26, 2026

Luxury EV-maker Lucid Motors laying off 18% of US workforce, COO resigns

The layoffs follow a 12% reduction of the company’s workforce in February following the launch of the Gravity SUV, its second model.

By Eric Walz • June 26, 2026

Chemours agrees to $450M PFAS settlement with US government

The EPA accused the chemical giant of releasing forever chemicals into rivers near the company’s facilities in North Carolina, New Jersey and West Virginia. In some instances, without the required permits.

By Sara Samora • June 26, 2026

Green economy surpasses $10 trillion in market capitalization: LSEG

Green companies accounted for 9.9% of market capitalization in 2026, and green mergers represent 13.4% of M&A activity in the past decade, according to the London Stock Exchange Group.

By Lauren Schenkman • June 25, 2026

Microsoft claims 2025 water replenishment milestone

The tech giant said it replenished more water than its operations used in 2025, as it looks to become “water positive” by 2030.

By Lamar Johnson • June 24, 2026

17 Republican AGs suing over California packaging EPR law

Less than a month out from a trial in Oregon, the National Association of Wholesaler-Distributors says it’s joining this California lawsuit as the sole business plaintiff.

By Maria Rachal • June 24, 2026

A top-down commitment is crucial for inclusion in 2026, SHRM panelists say

Members of SHRM’s inclusion and diversity council presented a road map for creating diversity and inclusion at work while being mindful of the compliance landscape.

By Caroline Colvin • June 23, 2026

Majority of business leaders fear a disorderly climate transition: survey

With climate-related costs already rising, global CEOs say they prefer early or gradual policy changes rather than delays, according to a new survey by the World Business Council for Sustainable Development.

By Lauren Schenkman • June 23, 2026

4 out of 5 companies can’t measure sustainability’s financial impact

“While science and target setting have moved forward, valuation tools and financial methodologies have lagged behind,” the KPMG report states.

By Maura Webber Sadovi • June 23, 2026