Edinburgh-based global investment company abrdn announced today the appointment of Dan Grandage as Chief Sustainability Officer, Investments, replacing Amanda Young in the role, who left the business at the end of April after leading the firm’s sustainable investing group since early 2022. In his new role, Grandage will lead abrdn’s global sustainable and active ownership strategy, with responsibility for ensuring…
The IFRS Foundation unveiled significant progress towards the establishment of a consistent global baseline for a corporate sustainability reporting system, revealing today that jurisdictions representing more than half of the global economy have announced steps to use or align with the International Sustainability Standards Board’s (ISSB) disclosure standards. The IFRS Foundation’s International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB) was launched in November 2021 at…
The Biden administration announced today the release of “Voluntary Carbon Markets Joint Policy Statement and Principles,” aimed at strengthening and advancing market for carbon credits by setting out the U.S. government’s approach to ensuring the high integrity of voluntary carbon markets (VCMs). The new policy statement comes as demand for carbon offset projects and related credits is expected to increase…
HSBC UK announced a new partnership with carbon accounting startup Greenly, providing a carbon calculator for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to measure, assess and address their carbon footprint. According to HSBC, the new solution follows a recent survey by the bank indicating that the lack of advice and support over sustainability measurement presents a significant barrier for SMEs in…
Building decarbonization-focused software startup Vizcab announced today that it has raised an additional €4.5 million in its Series A funding, bringing the financing round to €9 million (USD$9.8 million), with proceeds aimed at supporting the company’s growth and expansion into new international markets. Buildings are a key source of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and also one of the hardest…
EU markets regulator the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) has issued recommendations to adjust proposed sustainability reporting requirements for market-listed small and medium-sized (SME) businesses, with proposals including a requirement for SMEs to report on sustainability-related opportunities and positive impacts, in order to avoid the risk of greenwashing. The recommendations form part of ESMA’s response to a consultation by…
Google announced two new solar power purchase agreements (PPAs) in Japan, its first in the country, supporting the construction of new solar projects that will add 60 MW of clean energy capacity to the Japanese grid. According to Google, the new agreement will contribute to its commitment to power all its operations on 24/7 carbon-free energy (CFE) by 2030. Google…
The European Council announced today that it has approved the Net-Zero industry Act (NZIA), a new law introducing a framework of measures aimed at scaling up Europe’s manufacturing capacity for technologies key to achieving the EU’s climate goals. The announcement marks the last major step in the adoption of the NZIA, following the European Parliament’s approval of the new regulations…