ESG Today: Week in Review
This week in ESG news: SEC reconsiders its climate reporting rule; SBTi pushes back timeline for new Net Zero Standard; California climate reporting law passes legal hurdle; HSBC’s new Chief Sustainability Officer; Columbia launches climate finance Masters degree; NEOM plans $5 billion net zero AI data facility; Macquarie exits net zero banking group; U.S. boards say execs should stay quiet on social issues; 22 states sue to block New York law charging oil companies for climate adaptation; ISS removes diversity from U.S. proxy voting recommendations; capital raises for battery tech, e-fuels, energy storage, carbon removal; Microsoft sources solar energy in Texas, Illinois; IBM, Ramboll partner on sustainability strategy & reporting solutions, and more.
See below for the highlights of the past week, and get all your ESG news at ESG Today:
Sustainability Goals, Initiatives and Achievements
SBTi Pushes Back Timeline for New Corporate Net Zero Standard
Microsoft Sources Renewable Energy from New U.S. Solar Projects in Texas, Illinois
Columbia Launches Masters Degree in Climate Finance
Saudi’s NEOM, DataVolt to Build $5 Billion Net Zero AI Data Center
Equinor Slashes Energy Transition Investment Plans
ESG Reporting
New Acting SEC Chair Questions Need for Climate Disclosure Rule
Government & Regulators
22 States Sue to Block New York Law Charging Oil Companies $75 Billion to Pay for Climate Adaptation
ESG Services and Tools
Ramboll, IBM Partner to Offer Sustainability Strategy and Reporting Solutions
Greenly Launches CBAM Solution to Help Identify Low Carbon Suppliers, Reduce Supply Chain Emissions
Arcadia Acquires Clean Energy Procurement Platform RPD Energy
Ecologi Acquires Carbon Measurement Solution Provider Net Zero Now
Salesforce, Partners Launch Energy Ratings for AI Models
Achilles Launches New Supply Chain Sustainability Reporting Solution
Sustainable Finance
Hydrostor Raises $200 Million to Store Energy Using Compressed Air Technology
Macquarie Exits the Net Zero Banking Alliance
Private Equity & Venture Capital
ACCURE Raises $16 Million to Scale AI-based Platform to Make Batteries Safer and More Reliable
Chestnut Raises $160 Million to Scale Farm-to-Forest Carbon Removal Projects
StormFisher Hydrogen Raises $50 Million to Produce Clean Fuels for Hard to Abate Sectors
Heat Pump Software Startup Nido Raises €5 Million
Sustainable Investing
Proxy Advisory Firm ISS Removes DEI Factors from Voting Recommendations for U.S. Boards
HSBC Acquires Stake in EV Charging Operator SP Mobility
Exec Moves
BlackRock Appoints Louise Kooy-Henckel as EMEA Head of Sustainable and Transition Solutions
Climate First Bank Appoints Chris Castro as Chief Sustainability Officer
HSBC Appoints Julian Wentzel as New Chief Sustainability Officer
Reports, Studies & Surveys
More than 80% of U.S. Board Directors Prefer Executives Stay Quiet on Social Issues: Report
