There are now over 100 transition-labelled funds, but investors can’t yet be sure they will keep their promises. Over the last few years, we have seen a global shift by leading corporates, from net zero target-setting to also formulating the plans and strategies necessary to achieve these goals. With trillions of dollars needed to finance the move to a low-carbon…
Sustainable Heating Startup Vamo Raises €7 Million
Sustainable heating startup Vamo announced that it has raised €7 million in new capital, expanding its seed round to over €10 million (USD $10.8), after having raised €3 million in 2023, with proceeds aimed at advancing its solution enabling households to deploy heat pumps. Heat pumps are rapidly emerging as an energy efficient and climate-friendly alternative to furnaces and air…
LRQA Acquires Human Rights Advisory Ergon Associates to Strengthen ESG Capabilities
London-based assurance services provider LRQA announced that it has acquired Ergon Associates, which provides organizations with consulting services on ensuring compliance with issues surrounding labor standards, human rights and gender equality, in a move described by LRQA as enabling the delivery of “industry-leading expertise, enabling businesses to better integrate ESG factors into their decision-making processes.” Operating for the past 18…
RIFT Raises €11 Million for Decarbonized Industrial Heat Solution
Netherlands-based cleantech startup RIFT announced that it had raised €11 million (USD $11.9 million) in Series A funding aimed at advancing its technology to decarbonize industrial heat. Industrial heating uses high amounts of energy, often from fossil fuel-based sources, in order to transform materials into products such as metals and plastics. While solutions to replace fossil-based energy sources have emerged, including…
Southwest Airlines Eliminates 1.5 Million Pounds of Single-Use Plastic from Flights
Southwest Airlines announced today the introduction of new items to replace single-use plastic from its flights, including a new bamboo cup for inflight cold beverages and a wood stir stick. According to the airline, the new items are anticipated to reduce its inflight single-use plastics by more than 1.5 million pounds annually. The introduction of the new items follows the…
Bureau Veritas Acquires Aligned Incentives to Bolster Scope 3, Product Carbon Footprint Capabilities
France-based testing, inspection and certification services provider Bureau Veritas announced the acquisition of AI-powered sustainability planning solutions provider Aligned Incentives, with the move aimed at enhancing its sustainability metrics capabilities in areas including Scope 3 emissions analysis and product life cycle assessment (LCA). Founded by CEO Yann Risz and COO Craig Cammarata in 2015, Massachusetts-based Aligned Incentives offers an AI-powered…
ESMA to Focus Enforcement Actions on CSRD’s Double Materiality, Sustainability Statement Compliance
EU markets regulator the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) announced the release of its annual European Common Enforcement Priorities (ECEP) Statement for corporate reporting, setting out key issues relating to the EU’s new Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) as areas for close scrutiny over the next year for ESMA and national European enforcers. Specific sustainability reporting-related issues highlighted as…
IntegrityNext Launches New Supply Chain Sustainability Compliance and Visibility Solutions
Sustainability software provider IntegrityNext announced the launch of two new solutions, Multi-Tier Supply Chain Visibility and EUDR Compliance, aimed at enabling companies to address complex supply chain sustainability challenges and regulatory compliance requirements. Launched in 2016, Munich-based IntegrityNext provides a software platform aimed at enabling companies to build more transparent and sustainable supply chains, and helping businesses to collaborate with…