This week in ESG news: Unilever’s Chief Sustainability Officer exits; HSBC’s new net zero transition plan and targets; EU countries agree on 2040 climate goal; U.S. states warn Microsoft, Google, Meta against complying with EU’s sustainability reporting and due diligence laws; State Street pulls out of net zero investor group in U.S., but stays in Europe; Google signs large-scale reforestation…
The European Commission announced an agreement with over 20 airlines* including Air France, Lufthansa and KLM, with commitments from the companies to stop using environmental claims considered by the EU’s national consumer authorities to be misleading, including claims that the CO2 emissions from flying could be offset by paying additional fees to support climate projects or the use of sustainable…
The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) announced that it has raised $100 million through its first Amazonia Bond issuance, aimed at funding high-impact environmental and social sustainable development projects across the Amazon region. The bond issuance follows the launch in July 2025 by the IDB and the World Bank of the Amazonia Bond platform, designed to help countries and institutions raise private…
Impact venture fund Rubio Impact Ventures announced that it has raised more than €70 million in commitments for its new impact fund, Rubio Fund III, which will invest in around 30 companies developing scalable solutions to tackle climate change and social inequality. Founded in 2015, Amsterdam-based Rubio has supported more than 40 fast-growing companies delivering tangible social and environmental change,…
The International Capital Market Association (ICMA) announced today the publication of its new guidance for Climate Transition Bonds, introducing transition bonds as a new category of labelled use-of-proceeds instruments – alongside Green, Social, Sustainability, and Sustainability-linked bonds – to enable financing of climate transition strategies and projects, particularly for high-emitting sectors. The new guidelines follows the release of a report…
Google announced that it has signed a new agreement with Brazil-based Mombak, to purchase 200,000 tons of CO2 removal, generated through the restoration of degraded land in the Amazon by planting native, biodiverse forests. The agreement marks a significant expansion of the relationship between the companies, following an initial 50,000 ton deal between Google and Mombak announced last year. Founded…
IKEA announced that the Inter IKEA Group has launched a new project with BTG Pactual Timberland Investment Group (TIG) to protect, restore, and responsibly manage degraded and low-productive land in an endangered ecosystem in Brazil. Inter IKEA Group is the group of companies that connects IKEA franchisees with range development and suppliers, and is responsible for aligning the overall IKEA strategic…
The European Commission announced the launch of its new Sustainable Transport Investment Plan (STIP), setting out its roadmap and planned investments to dramatically accelerate the production of sustainable and low-carbon fuels needed to help reach its aviation and maritime transport sector decarbonization goals. The new plan follows the adoption in 2023 by EU lawmakers of ReFuelEU Aviation and FuelEU Maritime…