Every day, millions of UK households navigate sharp trade-offs between paying bills, managing debt, saving and building resilience. The UK has one of the most mature financial systems in the world, but that maturity conceals deep structural inequalities. Too many individuals and communities are still unable to access or benefit from the financial services they need to participate fully in…
Permira Invests in Energy Transition and Infrastructure-Focused Consulting Firm Quadrante
Global private equity and credit investment firm Permira announced a strategic investment through its Energy Transition strategy in engineering, architecture, environment and sustainability-focused consulting firm Quadrante. Founded in 1998, Lisbon-based Quadrante provides asset-light engineering services across three core segments, including Energy, including renewables development, transmission and distribution; Sustainable Cities, spanning data centers, water utilities and waste infrastructure; and Mobility, covering…
3M Appoints Amanda Yates as Chief Sustainability Officer
Industrial technology company 3M has appointed Amanda Yates as its new Chief Sustainability Officer, succeeding outgoing CSO Gayle Schueller, who has announced her retirement from the company. Yates takes on her new role at 3M after more than 13 years at the company, serving in a series of senior positions, including most recently as Senior Director of Global Sustainability, with…
EU Lawmakers Vote to Expand List of Products Under CBAM Carbon Import Tax
Lawmakers in the European Parliament’s Environment Committee (ENVI) adopted a position supporting a European Commission proposal to help avoid a shift in production away from EU manufacturers to those in countries with weaker climate policies by expanding the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), the EU’s carbon tax on imported goods, to a series of downstream products. While largely supporting the…
Avantium Spinout Carbeau Raises $40 Million to Convert CO2 into Sustainable Materials
Renewable and circular polymer materials provider Avantium announced the spin-out of its electrochemical platform, Volta Technology, focused on converting CO2 into raw materials, into a new, independent company named Carbeau. At launch, Carbeau has raised €35.2 million (USD$40.1 million) in total funding, including €23.7 (USD$27 million) in cash from external investors and an €11.5 million (USD$13.1 million) in-kind contribution (non-cash)…
Google Backs Proxima’s Record $468 Million Raise in Race to First Fusion Power Plant
German fusion technology startup Proxima Fusion announced that it has raised €411 million (USD$468 million) in a new funding round, marking the largest-ever private investment in European fusion, with strategic investors including Google and RWE. According to Proxima CEO Francesco Sciortino, the funding round comes as Europe is competing with the U.S. and China to be the first to achieve…
British Solar Renewables Signs $174 Million Financing Deal with Eiffel
UK-based renewable energy producer British Solar Renewables (BSR) announced that it has secured up to £130 million (USD$174 million) in a financing agreement with Paris-based asset manager Eiffel Investment Group, aimed at supporting investment in its renewable energy portfolio in the UK and Australia. Founded in 2010, British Solar Renewables develops, builds, owns and operates utility-scale solar, battery storage and…
Starbucks “Actively Reassessing” 2030 Climate Goal
Coffee retailing giant Starbucks revealed in its 2025 Impact Report that it is “actively reassessing” its 2030 value chain emissions reduction target, as it evaluates “the implications of emerging regulations, ongoing updates to relevant standards” and the impact of headwinds posing challenges to the achievement of its goal. Starbucks initially unveiled its climate goal in 2020, targeting a 50% reduction…