Google moves away from aspirational diversity hiring goals

This move is on par with what attorneys have been recommending in a tense political landscape around DEI and compliance.

By Caroline Colvin • Feb. 10, 2025

Clean energy stakeholders descend on Capitol to lobby for IRA tax credits

Groups participating in the lobbying blitz in Washington, D.C. represent over 2,000 companies and hundreds of billions of dollars in private investment, according to the Solar Energy Industries Association.

By Diana DiGangi • Feb. 6, 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

New York reintroduces bills seeking climate risk, emissions disclosures

Senate Bills 3456 and 3697, if approved, would mandate climate-related disclosures from large companies operating in the Empire State as early as 2027.

By Zoya Mirza • Feb. 6, 2025

Meta’s HR changes reflect widely touted aspirational approach to DEI

Eliminating hard inclusivity goals won’t protect against reverse discrimination complaints but it will help, legal specialists say.

By Robert Freedman • Feb. 4, 2025

Republican officials urge SEC, DOL to adopt anti-ESG, DEI rules

The letter signed by 22 Republican state finance officials cited American Airlines’ recent legal loss as evidence that fiduciaries are breaching their duty to loyalty with regards to ESG and DEI.

By Lamar Johnson • Feb. 3, 2025

Trump’s executive orders cause hesitation, confusion for clean energy developers

“There are daily developments, and I think people are just doing the best they can with the limited information we have at the moment,” said Felisa Sanchez, a partner with law firm K&L Gates.

By Diana DiGangi • Feb. 3, 2025

Developments driving the ESG, sustainability industry in 2025

The change in U.S. presidential leadership has triggered drawbacks of ESG and DEI commitments, as the private sector braces for a change in political direction.

By Zoya Mirza , Lamar Johnson • Jan. 31, 2025

Zeldin is confirmed as the new EPA administrator. What’s next?

The former New York representative will helm the agency as it navigates executive orders pausing climate programs and reviews pending regulations that could affect the waste and recycling industries.

By Megan Quinn , Jacob Wallace • Updated Jan. 30, 2025

Trump pauses renewable projects leasing on federal lands, waters

The Department of the Interior issued the order on Donald Trump’s first day in office, though just a small portion of the nation’s renewable energy capacity is located on government land.

By Lamar Johnson • Jan. 29, 2025

USDA releases guidance on climate-smart crops in biofuels

The interim rule gives insight into how farmers can access renewable fuel tax credits, though a Trump administration freeze on recent federal regulations is creating more uncertainty.

By Sarah Zimmerman • Jan. 28, 2025

Companies continue to pursue scope 3 reporting, despite regulatory and data collection challenges

Mejuri and Kontoor Brands are working with supplier networks to improve transparency of scope 3 reporting, while LinkedIn is using an internal carbon fee as an oversight mechanism.

By Suman Bhattacharyya • Jan. 27, 2025

State AGs threaten financial institutions over ESG, DEI policies

Bank of America, BlackRock, Citigroup, Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan Chase and Morgan Stanley were all asked about how they plan to implement or have implemented hiring or supplier diversity goals.

By Lamar Johnson • Jan. 27, 2025

Trump freezes Inflation Reduction Act funding

The White House later issued a memo to clarify the funding pause, specifying that it pertains only to aspects of the law mentioned in Section 2 of the executive order.

By Kate Magill • Jan. 24, 2025

Trump orders agencies to target private-sector DEI

In a Tuesday executive order, President Trump asked members of his administration to develop a strategic enforcement plan to deter “illegal” DEI programs and principles.

By Emilie Shumway • Jan. 23, 2025

BlackRock and Tennessee reach settlement on ESG suit

“We’re pleased to resolve this matter,” a BlackRock spokesperson told ESG Dive. The agreement dismisses the state’s 2023 lawsuit and does not find that the investment firm violated any laws.

By Lamar Johnson • Jan. 22, 2025

Trump executive orders halt wind development, declare energy emergency

The orders pause wind lease sales and permitting on federal lands while taking steps to accelerate other forms of energy production.

By Diana DiGangi • Jan. 22, 2025

Trump pulls US from Paris Agreement — again — in packed day one slate

The president’s executive order freezes all funding related to the 2015 global climate treaty and also rescinds the nation’s International Climate Finance plan.

By Lamar Johnson • Jan. 21, 2025

Trump executive orders torch Biden’s DEI initiatives

The 47th president promptly axed federal diversity, equity and inclusion programs after repeatedly promising to do so on the campaign trail.

By Ryan Golden • Jan. 21, 2025

Biden orders Energy, Defense departments to lease sites for AI data centers, clean energy generation

The executive order calls for using “categorical exclusions” to rapidly site data centers and power generation.

By Robert Walton • Jan. 17, 2025

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

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

Will the success of Biden’s clean energy policies impede Trump’s agenda?

Because of the Inflation Reduction Act's success across the country, Trump may encounter obstacles in his attempt to undo it, including opposition from members of his own party.

By Kenneth Irvin and Ogemdi Maduike • Jan. 14, 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

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