Trump order directs federal contractors to dump DEI — or risk canceled contracts

Departments and agencies have until April 25 to insert a clause in their contracts that requires contractors and subcontractors to not engage in “racially discriminatory DEI activities.”

By Emilie Shumway • March 30, 2026

Lululemon, others invest $12M to scale bio-recycling tech company

The athletic apparel retailer is backing Epoch Biodesign, which produces virgin-quality recycled polymers — like nylon — with a lower carbon footprint.

By Zoya Mirza • March 27, 2026

Explore the Trendline➔

Top 5 stories from ESG Dive

The landscape for ESG continues to shift, as U.S. exits from major climate agreements and organizations are juxtaposed with states forging ahead with their own climate disclosure laws.

By ESG Dive staff

TotalEnergies reassessing 2050 net-zero ambitions, won’t set transition plan

The French energy company won’t be able to set a transition plan or net-zero targets because European regulations require such plans to align with the Paris Agreement’s goal of limiting warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius, which may be out of reach.

By Lamar Johnson • March 27, 2026

Businesses prepping for California EPR and recyclability laws amid lawsuit

A lawsuit filed last week centers on SB 343, California’s forthcoming labeling law. But SB 54 concerns loom. “It’s a lot to balance in one year,” said Liz Morris of Anthesis Group.

By Maria Rachal • March 27, 2026

CFOs don’t expect large AI labor impact this year: report

Though CFOs expect AI to affect their teams’ overall composition, current investments in the technology remain focused on bolstering productivity rather than cost reduction, a National Bureau of Economic Research survey found.

By Grace Noto • March 26, 2026

PepsiCo hits pair of water replenishment, stewardship targets

The food and beverage giant has a goal to become net water positive or replenish more water than it consumes by 2030.

By Zoya Mirza • March 25, 2026

Layoffs delayed at Kentucky EV battery plant

Ford recently announced it was dissolving BlueOval SK, a $11.4 billion EV battery joint venture and its largest manufacturing commitment in the company’s history.

By Eric Walz • March 24, 2026

Investor groups sue SEC over no-action process policy changes

The agency’s changes to the shareholder proposal process violate the Administrative Procedure Act, the complaint from As You Sow and the Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility alleges.

By Lamar Johnson • March 23, 2026

White House calls for ‘minimally burdensome’ federal AI rules

The administration urged Congress to avoid creating new federal rule-making bodies for AI and instead lean on existing agencies and industry-led standards.

By Alexei Alexis • March 23, 2026

GreenBiz26: Working as a sustainability team of one

“I realized very quickly that the sustainability budget was the hiring decision,” Hamilton Company’s sustainability manager said at the annual sustainable business conference.

By Lamar Johnson • March 20, 2026

EU companies pursue sustainability reporting despite CSRD rollbacks: report

Reporting, while no longer mandatory for some companies, has already become integrated with financial strategy and risk management, findings from a recent survey suggest.

By Lauren Schenkman • March 19, 2026

Google aims to remove 200,000 tons of carbon by converting waste from landfills

Google’s partnership with AMP Robotics has a two-fold purpose: to cut the tech giant’s carbon footprint and curb methane emissions generated by landfill waste.

By Zoya Mirza • March 18, 2026

Firms plan to boost supply-chain agility as tariff turmoil persists

“What we’re seeing now is uncertainty reentering the system at exactly the wrong time,” KPMG’s Brian Higgins said.

By Alexei Alexis • March 18, 2026

Reliance Industries, Samsung subsidiary sign $3B deal for green ammonia

The India-based energy giant signed a 15-year deal with Samsung’s construction and trading business, marking “one of the largest binding long-term green ammonia” agreements globally.

By Lamar Johnson • Updated March 19, 2026

Chanel unveils first climate transition plan, outlines net-zero strategy

The plan outlines how the global luxury brand plans to meet its sustainability targets and reach net-zero by 2040.

By Zoya Mirza • March 17, 2026

Inside FedEx’s reusable shipper rollout

Years in the making, Returnity collaborated with the logistics giant on a specialized design that’s meant to be durable, tamper-resistant, collapsible, automation-friendly, and easy to scan and unpack.

By Maria Rachal • March 17, 2026

Net-Zero Asset Owners Alliance updates guidance, unveils transition targets

The latest guidance includes quantitative climate solutions investment targets and introduces a target category to support companies in high-emitting sectors with credible transition plans.

By Lamar Johnson • March 16, 2026

AI trailed DEI, immigration in terms of 2025 compliance impact, employers say

The combination of regulatory and economic uncertainty prompted more than one-third of employers in a Littler survey to reduce headcount within the past year.

By Ryan Golden • March 16, 2026

BP threatened with court action for not distributing shareholder proposal

The disagreement centers on the legality of a submission from Follow This, which requests that the oil major disclose strategies for creating shareholder value.

By Lamar Johnson • March 13, 2026

Blackstone acquires majority stake in thermal management firm

The private equity firm’s energy transition business is betting on Advanced Cooling Technologies’ data center and energy efficiency solutions as AI adoption and power needs increase.

By Lamar Johnson • March 12, 2026

Nearly 1,000 workers laid off at Georgia EV battery plant

SK Battery America is slashing its Commerce site workforce to 1,600, citing electric vehicle market conditions.

By Sara Samora , Nathan Owens • March 12, 2026

Nation’s first ‘green’ stock exchange hires veteran exec as CFO

The Green Impact Exchange hired a former Prudential Financial corporate finance and treasury executive to serve as its inaugural chief finance officer.

By Lamar Johnson • March 11, 2026

Building blocks: The green investments, initiatives that make up Lego’s sustainability strategy

The retailer behind the popular children’s plastic bricks has a goal to reach net-zero status by mid-century and cut absolute carbon emissions by 37% by 2032.

By Zoya Mirza • March 10, 2026

HSBC hires sustainable finance veteran to lead transition in Europe, Americas

The British bank has appointed Denise Odaro to help clients in the region decarbonize and accelerate the transition to clean energy. 

By Zoya Mirza • March 9, 2026

Vanguard’s antitrust coal settlement and what it signals for ESG litigation

The asset manager’s move to settle litigation with 11 Republican-led states represents “a significant development,” according to a Shinder Cantor Lerner attorney, but “is hard to interpret.”

By Lamar Johnson • March 6, 2026