Microsoft confirmed in a statement today that its carbon removal program will continue to form part of its strategy to achieve its climate goals, while it “may adjust the pace or volume of our carbon removal procurement,” countering speculation that the tech giant was halting the program. In the statement provided to ESG Today, Microsoft Chief Sustainability Officer Melanie Nakagawa said:…

Supply chain data company Makersite announced today the acquisition of SiGREEN, Siemens’ product carbon footprint (PCF) and supply chain data exchange platform, aimed at expanding the company’s product carbon footprint and Scope 3 capabilities. SiGREEN is a digital platform developed by Siemens to enable the collection, management and exchange of product carbon footprint data between companies and their suppliers globally….

Swedish green iron and steel maker Stegra announced a new €1.4 billion financing round, securing the funds necessary to complete the construction of the world’s first large-scale green steel plant in Boden, Sweden. Construction on the project had slowed, pending the outcome of the financing process The financing round is being led by a €250 million equity investment by Sweden’s…

Impact investment management firms Triodos Investment Management and Fondaction Asset Management (FAM) announced the launch of Value Nature Fund I, a new closed-end natural capital fund aimed at transitioning farmland and forests to regenerative, closer-to-nature practices across North America and Europe. The new fund is being launched with a C$25 million (USD$18 million) commitment from Fondation, and a €300 million…

Rolls-Royce SMR, a small modular nuclear reactor developer majority-owned by Rolls-Royce, announced that it has signed a contract with UK-backed publicly-owned Great British Energy – Nuclear (GBE-N) for the delivery of the UK’s first Small Modular Reactors (SMRs). The new contract follows the selection of Rolls-Royce in June 2025 as the preferred technology partner for the UK’s first SMR projects,…

Climate solutions provider Anew Climate and U.S. forestry-focused carbon removal platform Aurora Sustainable Lands announced a new agreement with JPMorganChase for the purchase of over 85,000 tons of carbon removal credits, generated through improved forest management (IFM) projects across U.S. forestlands and incorporating dynamic baselining methodologies. Aurora, a joint venture between Anew Climate and equity investors led by Oak Hill…

UK-based impact-focused venture capital investor Eka Ventures announced today that has raised £80 million (USD$107 million) in commitments at the final close of its second fund (Fund II), targeting investments in early stage companies that provide solutions that make the world more sustainable, healthy and inclusive. Launched in 2018 by Camilla Dolan and Jon Coker, Eka focuses on consumer-led “mega…

Microsoft has indicated to carbon credit suppliers that it is pausing its carbon removal purchases, according to reports by media outlets including Bloomberg and Heatmap, citing people familiar with the matter. The move could have significant implications on the carbon removal market, which has been driven largely by purchase activity by Microsoft in recent years, with the tech giant by…

This week in ESG news: GHG Protocol outlined proposed changes to Scope 3 reporting standard; Switzerland launches new proposed sustainability reporting and due diligence law; carbon removal deals signed by JPMorgan, Microsoft, Boeing; TotalEnergies, Masdar launch $2 billion renewable energy platform; Canada launches council to develop sustainable finance taxonomy, transition plan guidelines; sustainability consultancy SLR acquires climate analytics platform Planetrics…

UK-based international banking group Standard Chartered announced the appointment of Nalini Tarakeshwar as its new Global Head of the Standard Chartered Foundation and Corporate Philanthropy. The Standard Chartered Foundation was launched by the bank in 2019 to address inequality, with a focus on driving impact and prosperity for under-served young people. In her new role, Tarakeshwar will lead Standard Chartered’s…