The dual mandate: how CSOs and CFOs are tackling the regulatory and digital evolution in 2025

In the year ahead, chief sustainability officers and chief financial officers must combine digital sustainability leadership with financial discipline to thrive in a new low-carbon economy.

By Mandi McReynolds and Jill Klindt • Jan. 16, 2025

‘Inappropriate’ micromanaging: Apple pushes back on anti-DEI proposal

In a proxy filing ahead of the annual 2025 shareholders meeting, a conservative think tank asked Apple to cut back on DEI.

By Caroline Colvin • Jan. 16, 2025

Explore the Trendline➔

Top 5 stories from ESG Dive

This year has shaped up to be a formative one for ESG, both on the regulatory and financial front, with the SEC’s climate disclosure rule and the battle over shareholder rights and proposal approvals.

By ESG Dive staff

Federal judge rules against American Airlines in 401(k) ESG lawsuit

A judge ruled the airline violated its fiduciary duty to loyalty through its retirement plan management, though experts say “the bar is being set really low for what's a violation.”

By Lamar Johnson • Jan. 15, 2025

Supreme Court denies Big Oil’s bid to toss Honolulu climate case

Justices denied petitions put forward by Sunoco LP and Shell that asked for a review of a Hawaii State Supreme Court decision that allowed Honolulu’s climate lawsuit to continue.

By Zoya Mirza • Jan. 15, 2025

Amazon to focus on inclusion, internal DEI memo indicates

The changes outlined in the memo are vague, but Amazon has taken its previously strong commitments to Black and LGBTQ+ people off of its policy page.

By Caroline Colvin • Jan. 15, 2025

NZAM suspends all activities after BlackRock’s exit

The United Nations-backed Net-Zero Asset Managers initiative has pulled its signatories page and won’t assess their commitments while it undergoes a review.

By Lamar Johnson • Jan. 14, 2025

Barclays’ head of sustainability steps down as sector scrutiny heats up

Barclays’ Group Head of Sustainability Laura Barlow will leave her leadership role but continue at the bank as a senior adviser, a bank spokesperson told ESG Dive.

By Zoya Mirza • Jan. 14, 2025

Meta joins chorus of DEI rollbacks, cutting roles and programs

The tech and social media giant ended a number of diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives last week, including its supplier diversity program.

By Lamar Johnson • Jan. 13, 2025

Shein unveils denim printing process designed to reduce water, energy use

The fast fashion giant said the number of products it created using the technology increased by 90% last year.

By Laurel Deppen • Jan. 13, 2025

ESG tops in-house counsel litigation concerns

Organizations bringing lawsuits are finding more ways to tie company actions to impacts, a report finds.

By Robert Freedman • Jan. 13, 2025

BlackRock leaves NZAM as Wall Street runs from climate groups

The nation’s largest investment manager is leaving the Net Zero Asset Managers initiative, joining a broader financial institution exodus from high-profile climate alliances.

By Lamar Johnson • Updated Jan. 10, 2025

Treasury finalizes guidance for IRA’s tech neutral, clean electricity tax credits

They’re “the most important clean energy tax credits ever enacted,” said Brad Townsend, vice president of policy and outreach at the Center for Climate and Energy Solutions. 

By Diana DiGangi • Jan. 10, 2025

5 ESG trends sustainability professionals should monitor in 2025

Upcoming leadership changes in the White House and Congress are expected to create a more adversarial stance on ESG and climate issues in 2025.

By Lamar Johnson , Zoya Mirza • Jan. 9, 2025

Shell shareholders file resolution asking oil giant for transparency on LNG strategy, climate goals

The proposal calls out Shell’s plans to increase its sales of liquified natural gas and asks how the company justifies its growth strategy with its climate commitments.

By Zoya Mirza • Jan. 9, 2025

SBTi appoints EY corporate sustainability partner as next CEO

David Kennedy will take on the chief executive role at the climate target validation organization in Q2 from interim CEO Sue Jenny Ehr, pending an agreement with his current firm.

By Lamar Johnson • Jan. 8, 2025

McDonald’s cools on DEI, shifts to ‘global inclusion’

The shift in strategy comes as a result of work done last year, McDonald’s said, including a “comprehensive Civil Rights Audit.”

By Caroline Colvin • Jan. 8, 2025

JPMorgan becomes latest major US bank to exit NZBA

The bank’s departure from the Net Zero Banking Alliance follows the exits of five other major U.S. banks from the climate coalition in the past month.

By Lamar Johnson • Jan. 7, 2025

Big Oil urges Supreme Court to weigh in on Honolulu climate case

The judges will determine whether to take up the oil giant's appeal during a Jan. 10 conference.

By Lamar Johnson • Jan. 6, 2025

Bank of America, Citigroup, Morgan Stanley latest to exit Net-Zero Banking Alliance

The financial institutions’ decision to leave NZBA comes shortly after Goldman Sachs and Wells Fargo announced they were departing the United Nations-backed climate coalition last month.

By Zoya Mirza • Jan. 3, 2025

Did Costco just reset the narrative around DEI?

In contrast to a slew of companies, the warehouse retailer has forcefully rejected an anti-DEI shareholder proposal as bad for business.

By Daphne Howland • Jan. 3, 2025

Sustainability profession at ‘crossroads’ amid regulation, compliance headwinds: Trellis

Compliance is becoming a bigger part of a sustainability executive’s role, coupled with greater oversight from legal and CFO teams, according to the research firm.

By Suman Bhattacharyya • Jan. 2, 2025

How AI is shaping the future of sustainability

The rapid evolution of artificial intelligence is redefining how industries operate, and its influence on sustainability is no exception, according to PwC’s ESG principal. 

By Sammy Lakshmanan • Jan. 2, 2025

Walmart to miss 2025, 2030 emissions reduction targets

The retail giant said it will miss its goals to reduce operational emissions because of challenges with energy policy and infrastructure, as well as technology availability.

By Lamar Johnson • Dec. 20, 2024

Nostromo Energy receives $305M conditional commitment from DOE for thermal energy storage system

If finalized, the loan will support up to 193 IceBrick installations in commercial buildings across California, scaling the ice-based system’s integration with virtual power plants, the company says.

By Nish Amarnath • Dec. 20, 2024

People are as important as technology for reliable ESG data collection

Driven by various regulatory frameworks, companies of all sizes may need to retool their approaches to data collection to meet compliance timelines in the most effective ways possible.

By Matthew Gardner • Dec. 19, 2024