Spanish Bank BBVA announced that it achieved a quarterly sustainable finance record, channeling more than €30 billion (USD$34.6 billion) into environmental and social projects in Q2 2025. The bank reported that its sustainable finance volumes for the first half of 2025 reached €63 billion, increasing by 48% over same period last year. BBVA’s strong sustainable finance results follows an announcement earlier…
The Italian Competition Authority (AGCM) announced that it has fined global fashion online retailer Shein’s website operator Infinite Styles Services Co €1 million (USD$1.15 million) for greenwashing, after finding that the company used misleading environmental messages or claims in the promotion of its clothing products. The announcement follows the launch of an investigation last year by AGCM into the company over…
Australia’s superannuation system, managing over £2.5 trillion in assets as of 2025, is a global leader in retirement savings. The MySuper performance test, administered by the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA) since 2021, evaluates default MySuper products based on their 8-year investment performance, with funds failing twice consecutively barred from accepting new members. Whilst designed to protect members from underperforming…
Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp owner Meta announced a new initiative aimed at cutting the embodied carbon footprint of its data centers, piloting the use of mass timber in the construction of the facilities, in place of emissions-intensive materials such as steel and concrete. Steel and concrete are among the most significant sources of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, with steel manufacturing…
The continuing delay to the finalisation of the Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation (SFDR) comes as little surprise. With dissent from across the investment industry, and even from within the European Commission, it’s been clear for some time that the current framework is struggling to meet its intended objectives. The ESAs, member states, and private stakeholders have all weighed in with…
A U.S. federal judge has denied motions to dismiss most of the claims in a multistate lawsuit accusing asset managers BlackRock, Vanguard and State Street of violating antitrust laws and conspiring to use sustainable investment initiatives to manipulate coal markets, allowing the case to proceed. In statements received by ESG Today from the asset managers, Vanguard said that it was…
Snacking, food, and pet care products provider Mars announced the launch of the Mars Protect the Peanut Plan, a new multi-million dollar agri-science initiative aimed at safeguarding peanut crops against the impact of climate change. According to Mars, the new initiative comes as peanuts face increasing pressures that threaten the reliability of global supply, including extreme droughts and flooding, pests…
Elston Portfolio Management have launched a range of model portfolios that invest entirely in UK SDR complaint funds. The Elston Sustainable range, which comprises of five risk-rated portfolios, aims to deliver a multi-asset portfolio strategy, with each allocating 100% of their assets in SDR-compliant funds. While there are many ESG labelled portfolios available, Elston claims this is the first Sustainable…
UK asset manager Rebalance Earth has announced Ruston Smith has been appointed chair of its board. Smith (pictured) has more than four decades experience in the pensions and investment industry and has chaired or sat on the board of pensions funds, asset managers and private market companies including JP Morgan Asset Management, Tesco Pension Fund and Smart Pension. Rob Gardner,…