ESG Today: Week in Review
This week in ESG news: Most investors planning to increase sustainable investments this year, Morgan Stanley finds; ECB pledges to ramp focus on climate risk; Climate data platform Watershed raises $100 million at $1.8 billion valuation; Pandora moves to 100% recycled gold and silver; Texas bans Barclays from bond market over ESG policies; WTW study finds big increase in environmental sustainability integration in executive pay plans; Microsoft signs nature-based carbon removal deal; Major clean energy deals signed by Google, Amazon; capital raises for sustainable fintech, green steel, nature-based climate solutions; clean energy investment surges to $1.8 trillion, 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
Google Signs Over 700 MW of Clean Energy Deals Across Europe
Geodis Targets 42% Emissions Reduction from its Fleet and Buildings
TotalEnergies, Air Liquide Create New JV to Launch a Hydrogen Station Network for Heavy Duty Trucks
Pandora Shifts to 100% Recycled Gold and Silver for its Jewelry
Microsoft Signs Carbon Removal Deal with Nature-Based Startup Grassroots Carbon
Amazon Signs Purchase Agreement for 473 MW of Offshore Wind Energy with Engie
Government & Regulators
ECB Announces Increased Focus on Climate Risk, Green Transition
U.S. Invests $254 Million in Industrial Decarbonization Projects, Technologies
Texas Bans Barclays from Bond Market over Bank’s ESG Policies
EU Adopts New Regulation Eliminating 500 Million Tonnes of Greenhouse Gas Emissions
ESG Reporting
Guest Post: Why Private Companies Should Embrace ESG Reporting
IESBA Releases Proposed Ethics Standards to Prevent Greenwashing in Sustainability Reporting
Guest Post: How AI is Transforming ESG Reporting
ESG Services and Tools
Corporate Climate Platform Watershed Raises $100 Million
Allianz Launches Dashboard Tracking Net Zero Transition Progress and Requirements
Diligent, Manifest Climate Partner to Offer AI-Driven Climate Risk Management Solutions
Sustainable Finance
Private Equity & Venture Capital
Generate Capital Raises $1.5 Billion for Sustainable Infrastructure Investments
Sustainable Fintech Startup Crux Raises $18 Million for Clean Energy Tax Credit Platform
Green Steel Startup Boston Metal Raises $20 Million
Nature-based Solutions Platform Cultivo Raises $14 Million
Schroders Acquires £700 Million UK Solar Portfolio
ESG Investing
Mirova Raises over $280 Million for Emerging Markets-focused Climate Fund
Majority of Investors Planning to Increase Sustainable Investments this Year: Morgan Stanley Survey
Exec Moves
AXA IM Appoints Thomas Coudert as Head of Sustainability for Core Investment Platform
UBS Appoints Beatriz Martin Jimenez as Group Executive Board Lead for Sustainability and Impact
Reports, Studies & Surveys
More than 80% of Companies Adopting ESG Metrics in Exec Compensation Plans: WTW Study