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

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

Deloitte to pay $21.5M to settle claims its DEI programs violated federal civil rights law

“Government contractors cannot reward or penalize employees based on race or sex,” the attorney general said.

By Ginger Christ • Aug. 28, 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

Meta settles landmark child privacy case for up to $18B

The proposed settlement with multiple states, districts and territories would also create new rules for users under 18. Meta is calling on fellow platforms YouTube and TikTok to implement similar rules.

By Lamar Johnson • Aug. 26, 2026

Target apologizes for offensive Halloween costume

The retailer is facing backlash over a costume critics described as evoking racial stereotypes. The incident comes over a year after the company's DEI changes made headlines.

By Dani James • Aug. 26, 2026

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

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

‘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

Could climate change lead to increased family, medical leave? Attorneys are afraid so.

The U.S.’s recent spate of wildfire-induced air pollution provided a view of the direct effect extreme weather events may have on leave management.

By Ryan Golden • Aug. 11, 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

JPMorgan to deploy $750B for affordable housing by 2035

The bank will invest the capital through its American Dream Initiative, an economic mobility program launched earlier this year that also aims to boost housing access.

By Lamar Johnson • Aug. 4, 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

Google, Ford, others launch skilled trades workforce initiative

The tech and auto companies joined BlackRock and workwear apparel brand Carhartt to form the Alliance for America’s Skilled Trades.

By Lamar Johnson • July 27, 2026

Black-owned banks Optus, Mechanics & Farmers to merge

The roughly $105 million deal, set to close in the fourth quarter, will create a $1.3 billion-asset entity, the largest Black-owned bank in the country, the institutions said Wednesday.

By Dan Ennis • July 24, 2026

Citizens Bank to exit agreements with ICE contractors

Citizens called the end of its relationships with CoreCivic and GEO “a business decision” that “does not reflect any change in our view regarding these companies' business models or operations.”

By Gabrielle Saulsbery • July 21, 2026

Citi commits $25M to drive innovation in housing access, affordability

The funding will be provided through the Citi Impact Fund which backs startups that aim to advance social equity and assist economically vulnerable communities while generating financial returns.

By Zoya Mirza • July 20, 2026

Amazon’s 2025 emissions jump as AI brings ‘momentum and complexity’: report

The tech and e-commerce company’s absolute carbon emissions increased 16% in 2025 from the previous year, as it reported adding more data center capacity than any other company globally.

By Lamar Johnson • July 20, 2026

Meta’s AI-based layoffs allegedly targeted workers who had taken protected leave

The company used “a constellation of internal artificial-intelligence systems” to determine who would be included in its 10% reduction in force, per a lawsuit.

By Ginger Christ • July 20, 2026

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