By Peter Paul van de Wijs, Chief Policy Officer Corporate accountability is now a pressing global focus, underscored by recent international discussions on environmental action. Companies' roles in tackling sustainability challenges were central to last month's Biodiversity COP16 in Colombia, September's Climate Week NYC, and remain a high priority for the upcoming Climate Change COP29 in…

The European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) has released its 2024 European Common Enforcement Priorities (ECEP) Statement, outlining stringent new standards for corporate reporting under the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD). This directive will now require over 50,000 companies to expand their disclosures on environmental, social, and governance (ESG) impacts. Key priorities for the upcoming reporting…

Today, the three European Supervisory Authorities (ESAs)—the European Banking Authority (EBA), European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Authority (EIOPA), and the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA)—released their Final Report on the draft implementing technical standards (ITS). These standards pertain to the tasks of collection bodies and the functionalities of the upcoming European Single Access Point…

Corporate biodiversity disclosures have surged by 43% since the adoption of the Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) in 2022, often referred to as the “Paris Agreement for nature,” according to new data from CDP. The latest findings come as global leaders gather in Colombia for COP16 to discuss the Kunming-Montreal GBF implementation and set ambitious policies…

The European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA), the European Union's regulator and supervisor for financial markets, has released its annual European Common Enforcement Priorities (ECEP) Statement for corporate reporting in 2024. For 2025, ESMA and European enforcers will focus on the following key areas: IFRS Financial Statements: Emphasizing liquidity considerations, accounting policies, judgements, and significant estimates.…

Today, October 24th, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) finalized stricter standards for identifying and cleaning up lead paint dust in homes and childcare facilities built before 1978. Announced during National Lead Poisoning Prevention Week, this measure is part of President Biden’s broader strategy to reduce lead exposure, especially for children, who are most vulnerable…

GRI has partnered with Climate & Company, a global non-profit think-tank focused on sustainable finance, to advance the adoption of international sustainability reporting standards across the value chain. This collaboration, formalized through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), aims to enhance informed decision-making for companies, investors, and other stakeholders. Climate & Company bridges policy-making, the financial sector,…

The preservation of the Amazon rainforest is vital to addressing global warming, with carbon credits forming a crucial element of this strategy. However, concerns have been raised due to insufficient consultation with Indigenous communities, who play an essential role in forest conservation and must be included in the distribution of benefits from carbon credit agreements.…

Deforestation associated with soy production in Brazil remains a persistent issue. While deforestation has slowed in parts of the Amazon—one of the country's critical biomes—extensive areas of the Cerrado continue to be cleared and cultivated. In September, the report Land Grabbing and Ecocide examined the ongoing deforestation caused by U.S. businesses with interests in Brazil. Gaurav…

Mining associations, representing nearly 100 companies, have launched a 60-day public consultation on the Consolidated Mining Standard Initiative, aimed at creating a unified ESG standard for the sector. Led by the Copper Mark, the Mining Association of Canada, and the International Council on Mining and Metals, the initiative seeks to simplify and broaden ESG standards…

Indonesia, Malaysia, and the European Union will jointly develop a practical guide to the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) for smallholders by November, according to the Council of Palm Oil Producing Countries (CPOPC). This intergovernmental body, which includes major palm oil producers such as Indonesia, Malaysia, and Honduras, announced that the collaboration aims to support smallholders…

The European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) is reviewing new rules on naming sustainable investment funds after concerns were raised that they may limit funding for polluters seeking to decarbonize. The rules, effective Nov. 21, restrict funds labeled as "green" or "sustainable" from investing in high-pollution sectors like oil, gas, and coal. Fund managers may need…