The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) announced that it has reached a settlement with PayPal to resolve an investigation into a DEI-related investment program set up by the digital payment giant to support Black and minority-owned businesses – described by the DOJ as “discriminatory” – with the deal including an agreement by the company to waive fees worth $30 million…
Spanish banking group BBVA announced the launch of its new 2026–2030 Global Eco-efficiency Plan, outlining a series of targets aimed at reducing the environmental impact of the bank’s operations. The new plan included a goal for BBVA to source 100% of its electricity from renewables by 2030, with the bank revealing that it reached 99% towards this target already in…
U.S. electricity and energy infrastructure giants NextEra and Dominion Energy announced a merger agreement on Monday, in a deal that will create the world’s largest regulated electric utility business. The transaction comes as demand for electricity is rising at historical rates, driven by factors including the buildout of datacenter infrastructure to meet growing AI usage, and industrial and transport electrification,…
HSBC announced today the launch of a new $4 billion Sustainability and Transition Credit Facility, aimed at helping Mainland China-based companies in the clean energy and low-carbon sectors scale internationally, and support decarbonization across the value chain. The launch of the new facility follows an announcement by the bank earlier this year that it mobilized a record $102 billion in…
Water-tech startup Crew Carbon announced that it has raised $25 million in a Series A funding round, with proceeds aimed at scaling its wastewater treatment optimization and carbon removal technology and expanding its workforce. According to Crew Carbon, the financing comes as the wastewater treatment industry faces growing pressure from tighter regulations and having to treat higher volumes of wastewater…
Australia’s government has proposed significant changes to its corporate reporting rules, including raising the threshold of companies required to publish audited financial and sustainability reports to exempt those with revenues under A$100 million and assets of $50 million. Alongside the proposed changes, unveiled with the release of Australia’s 2026 Budget, the government also announced plans to consult on reforms to…
This week in ESG news: ECB warns climate & nature risks “very likely being underestimated” by banks; SEC tells court it plans to scrap corporate climate reporting rules; BBVA sustainable finance activity jumps 33%; Ford turns old EV battery capacity into new energy storage business; New York to push back “unattainable” climate goals; EcoVadis, Workiva partner on Scope 3 data…