1 in 4 AI agents run unmonitored, giving way to operational risk

AI adoption is obscuring system visibility, putting the spotlight on observability tools, according to a New Relic report.

By Makenzie Holland • Sept. 23, 2026

Businesses sidestep AI governance policies as concerns mount

Senior AI leaders say frameworks have not been updated to accommodate the technology's specific risks, according to an EY report.

By Scarlett Evans • Sept. 21, 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

SEC’s plan to scrap shareholder proposal rule sparks criticism

Industry and legal experts told ESG Dive that the rescission proposal is likely to have ripple effects and spur more shareholder pressure elsewhere.

By Lamar Johnson • Sept. 18, 2026

SEC moves to officially roll back Rule 14a-8

The details of the plan to rescind the shareholder proxy proposal rule come on the heels of the SEC’s push to make quarterly reporting by public companies optional.

By Maura Webber Sadovi • Sept. 18, 2026

AI completely absent from most organizations’ ethics codes, survey finds

Additionally, fewer employees say they cite their codes of conduct or use them as a resource, according to LRN, even as workplace misconduct reports increase.

By Ryan Golden • Sept. 17, 2026

Amazon invests $230M in benefits, pay for Whole Foods store employees

As the company continues to merge its operations with the specialty grocer, this next investment focuses on its frontline workers.

By Peyton Bigora • Sept. 15, 2026

Google deal to generate 1M carbon credits from cutting methane emissions

The deal with Mitti Labs is designed to cut the methane equivalent of 3 million metric tons of carbon dioxide over 20 years by transitioning rice farmers to alternative agricultural practices.

By Lamar Johnson • Sept. 14, 2026

Chemours, DuPont, Corteva reach $455M PFAS settlement with North Carolina

The agreement resolves contaminant claims that Chemours’ Fayetteville Works facility released into the water and air. The three chemical giants also established a $135 million reserve fund.

By Sara Samora • Sept. 14, 2026

Anthropic researcher’s resignation highlights governance concerns for AI firms’ IPOs

A recent report from Morningstar lays out transparency and governance questions about planned offerings from Anthropic and OpenAI.

By Lamar Johnson • Sept. 11, 2026

Is conceding to the Trump administration on DEI a recipe for business success?

A UC Berkeley professor spearheaded research that determined S&P 500 companies that stuck with DEI outperformed their peers. Here’s his advice.

By Caroline Colvin • Sept. 11, 2026

AI costs expected to rise through 2027

In a Deloitte survey, nearly two-thirds of respondents expect AI-related costs and operational complexity to rise in the new year. Many are still prioritizing the technology anyway.

By Dan Niepow • Sept. 10, 2026

Google commits over $15B to AI infrastructure in Finland

The investments include long term deals to keep a Finnish nuclear power plant online along with other clean energy investments planned for 2027-28.

By Lamar Johnson • Sept. 9, 2026

Federal judge blocks New York’s $75B Climate Change Superfund Act

New York can no longer enforce a state law that requires fossil fuel companies to financially compensate it in billions of dollars for their role in generating greenhouse gas emissions.

By Zoya Mirza • Sept. 8, 2026

SEC prods ISS on client vote, recommendation disclosures

The Securities and Exchange Commission’s request “raises serious First Amendment concerns,” an Institutional Shareholder Services spokesperson told ESG Dive.

By Lamar Johnson • Sept. 8, 2026

U.S. firms plan to increase employee base salary budgets by an average 3.3% in 2027

With respect to incentive payouts, more companies are expecting them to fall below target levels than above them.

By David McCann • Sept. 8, 2026

Google-Fervo geothermal deal underscores baseload power scarcity, analysts say

Key risks remain, however, including “first-of-a-kind execution,” interconnection bottlenecks, capital intensity and competing technology paths, according to a research note from financial services company William Blair.

By Diana DiGangi • Sept. 4, 2026

Fewer than 25% of enterprises have scaled AI successfully

Not knowing how to measure a project’s success or when to shut it down can keep companies from finding success, Gartner data found.

By Paige Gross • Sept. 4, 2026

Lowe’s, BofA, AT&T, Nvidia, more launch workforce training initiative

Nearly 80 companies, vendors, workforce organizations and educational institutions have joined the coalition, which aims to train 1 million people for skilled trade careers by 2035.

By Lamar Johnson • Sept. 3, 2026

Three legal challenges to building a global carbon market for companies

As the global carbon market enters a critical stage, companies should prepare for a changing environment, a Morgan Lewis partner says.

By Levi McAllister • Sept. 3, 2026

Microsoft noise lawsuit is latest in legal wave hitting data center operations

One of the tech giant's data centers emits a hard-to-measure, low-level hum that Mount Pleasant, Wisconsin, residents allege is a nuisance that’s hurting property values.

By Robert Freedman • Sept. 2, 2026

California sues Trump administration over offshore wind ‘extortion racket’

The state alleges the Trump administration “abuses its authority” by diminishing the value of offshore wind energy leases before it makes an “unrefusable offer” to developers.

By Diana DiGangi • Sept. 2, 2026

SEC to propose recission of rule governing shareholder proposals: OMB

The Securities and Exchange Commission has submitted a proposal to rescind Rule 14a-8 to the White House Office of Management and Budget. The proposal is pending regulatory review.  

By Lamar Johnson • Sept. 1, 2026

Starbucks faces another union boycott, activist investor pressure

Pro-labor investors want the chain to split its board chair and CEO roles as Starbucks Workers United asks consumers to join its contract fight.

By Aneurin Canham-Clyne • Sept. 1, 2026

Black CFO representation falls 25% from 2021 peak as diversity levels off

The number of Black finance chiefs in Fortune 500 and S&P 500 companies ticked down to 15 this year, according to the report from Crist Kolder Associates.

By Maura Webber Sadovi • Aug. 31, 2026

Ben & Jerry’s adds three board members to boost social mission

The ice cream maker’s newly appointed independent directors bring decades of experience in environmental and social justice, civil rights, economic equity and free speech.

By Zoya Mirza • Updated Aug. 27, 2026