Trump approves emissions exemptions for some chemical, taconite iron ore facilities

Dow, BASF, U.S. Steel and Cleveland-Cliffs are some of the companies that received two-year delays from complying with the Environmental Protection Agency’s air pollutants regulations.

By Sara Samora • July 31, 2025

Sustainserv, Palau ink tech partnership to boost ESG reporting with AI

The deal will give users access to an AI-powered platform which offers templates for reporting aligned with multiple reporting and regulatory frameworks.

By Zoya Mirza • July 31, 2025

Explore the Trendline➔

Top 5 stories from ESG Dive

This year has shaped up to be a formative one for ESG, from the U.S. pulling out of major climate agreements to federal agencies recalibrating their approach to sustainability under the new administration.

By ESG Dive staff

CleanCapital acquires 64-project solar portfolio from Greenbacker

The deal for 51.2 megawatts of operational solar systems will expand CleanCapital’s portfolio to include more than 350 solar and energy storage projects.

By Lamar Johnson • July 30, 2025

ISS, Glass Lewis sue Texas AG over state’s newest anti-ESG law

The nation’s top two proxy advisory firms are seeking a preliminary injunction to stop a Texas law targeting such firms from taking effect in September.

By Lamar Johnson • July 29, 2025

Voluntary sustainable packaging goals are on the way out, Gartner says

Companies are aligning their sustainability strategies with emerging legislation, such as EPR laws, according to the consulting firm. Adapting now can have cost advantages down the line.

By Katie Pyzyk • July 28, 2025

Trump’s SEC distances itself from Biden-era ESG, climate rulemaking

The Securities and Exchange Commission has looked to withdraw proposed ESG regulations introduced during the previous administration or stop defending them in court.

By Lamar Johnson , Zoya Mirza • July 25, 2025

SEC declines to confirm whether climate disclosure rule will be upheld if it survives litigation

The agency told an appeals court it “does not intend to review or reconsider” the rule but did not confirm whether it would enforce it if legal challenges against the rule fail.

By Zoya Mirza • July 25, 2025

SBTi unveils final net-zero standard for financial institutions

The Science Based Targets initiative’s FINZ framework is the first to guide the sector through the net-zero journey, including setting both near- and long-term portfolio targets.

By Lamar Johnson • July 22, 2025

Berlin Packaging details progress toward SBTi-validated targets

The global packaging supplier cited innovation in biomaterials and refill systems among the efforts driving growth and sustainability.

By Katie Pyzyk • July 22, 2025

Mastercard reports declining emissions and rising revenue for second straight year

The global payments company also surpassed and remains “on track” to hit interim 2025 emissions reductions targets.

By Lamar Johnson • July 21, 2025

US companies quietly maintaining, boosting sustainability investments in 2025: report

EcoVadis found companies are less likely to publicize their sustainability efforts this year, but have largely maintained or increased their ESG investments amid shifts and backlash.

By Lamar Johnson • July 16, 2025

California’s 2026 climate-risk reporting deadlines are here to stay: KPMG

Despite regulatory uncertainty at the U.S. federal level and internationally, California’s forging ahead and expecting companies to disclose their climate risks starting next year.

By Lamar Johnson • July 14, 2025

Cities can decarbonize buildings while cutting costs, new road map says

The guide from Climate Mayors and Veolia aims to help cities tackle one of their biggest greenhouse gas emissions challenges, even as federal support for energy efficiency and decarbonization shrinks.

By Robyn Griggs Lawrence • July 14, 2025

CARB publishes compliance guidance, update on California’s climate disclosure laws

The agency said it is in the “informal, information-gathering stage” for implementing SB 253 and SB 261, and aims to develop a regulation by the end of the year.

By Zoya Mirza • July 11, 2025

HSBC departs Net-Zero Banking Alliance, following US banks

The U.K.-based bank became the latest to exit the United Nations-backed NZBA, following in the footsteps of Wall Street's exodus from climate alliances.

By Lamar Johnson • July 11, 2025

Flexible work is ‘non-negotiable’ for gender equality, UN Women report says

“For the first time, gender equality ranks alongside healthcare and climate change as a top global concern,” according to the report.

By Carolyn Crist • July 11, 2025

European Commission proposes simplifying sustainability taxonomy

The changes would reduce the number of reported data points by 89% for financial institutions and 64% for non-financial companies.

By Lamar Johnson • July 8, 2025

Coach’s leather could pose deforestation threat: report

An investigation by environmental nonprofit Earthsight said the Tapestry-owned brand is at risk of sourcing leather linked to illegal cattle ranching in Brazil.

By Laurel Deppen • July 8, 2025

Amazon releases waste diversion metrics as part of larger sustainability plan

The company says it reached an 85% waste diversion rate in 2024. Amazon’s waste and biodiversity director, Justine Mahler, says that’s driven partly by organics diversion programs and ongoing data collection investments.

By Megan Quinn • July 8, 2025

Google’s emissions still rising, despite data center decarbonization, energy procurement progress

The search engine and tech conglomerate’s overall emissions are up 51% from a 2019 baseline, despite making headway in procuring carbon-free energy last year.

By Lamar Johnson • July 2, 2025

House committee clears bill to limit retirement fund managers from using ESG factors

The bill, which reverses course on a Biden-era regulation, would issue a variety of documentation requirements for any use of “non-pecuniary” factors by retirement plan managers.

By Lamar Johnson • July 1, 2025

Federal agencies, including FERC and DOE, revoke environmental review rules

The agencies eliminated all references to consider climate change, environmental justice and other key environmental issues in their permit reviews, Earthjustice said.

By Ethan Howland • July 1, 2025

As the GHG Protocol eyes the homestretch in its scope 2 revisions, are the right voices being heard?

A requirement for hourly matching and the dramatic narrowing of the geographies in which companies can make clean energy investments could stifle the voluntary market.

By Roger S. Ballentine • July 1, 2025

EU Commission nixes proposed anti-greenwashing legislation

The Green Claims Directive is at odds with the Commission’s “simplification agenda,” a spokesperson said.

By Laurel Deppen • June 25, 2025

Companies are recalibrating ESG strategies in response to US policy shifts: report

Executives have decided to expand legal oversight of ESG and refine sustainability communication in response to backlash against ESG, a report from The Conference Board found.

By Lauren Schenkman • June 24, 2025