Regulation & Public Policy

The increasingly complex landscape of laws aimed at standardizing corporate sustainability efforts and transparency around those efforts

Certification Not Enough to Uphold EU’s Supply Chain Due Diligence Laws

Cross-Posted from Supply Chain. These laws have been several years in the making — enough time for proactive companies to develop mechanisms to ensure their supply chains are free of deforestation, human rights abuses and forced labor. And while Europe is leading, other markets are likely to follow.

New Tool Tracks US Food-Waste Legislation Landscape

Divert’s Food Waste Legislative Tracker offers a state-by-state look, as well as numerous touchpoints for anyone interested in food policy to get involved.

Resilient Companies Remain Committed to Improvement, Regardless of Regulations

The US Supreme Court’s reversal of the 40-year-old ‘Chevron deference’ rule could put countless ESG regulations in jeopardy, but experts urge companies to stick to strategies that ensure their long-term competitiveness and resilience.

Pioneering Vermont Law Adds Momentum to Climate-Accountability Fight

Vermont's Climate Superfund Act is the latest in a growing wave of climate-driven political and legal attempts to hold the fossil-fuel industry accountable for its role in accelerating climate change.

Report: Global EPR Ecosystem Critical to Tackling Fashion Waste

Cross-Posted from Circular Economy. Without EPR policy, tens of millions of tons of textiles will continue to be landfilled, incinerated or leak into the environment every year. But as policy continues to develop, the Ellen MacArthur Foundation reminds businesses to keep innovating.

WA Ballot Initiative Could Stymy National Efforts to Put a Price on Carbon

I-2117 is already destabilizing the state’s landmark carbon market — confusing businesses and creating uncertainty about the future of climate policy.

Is Bipartisan Climate Policy Possible in the US?

The reality of climate change’s existence is not the debate that voters are interested in anymore: They have experienced it firsthand and care about solutions.

What Does the New SEC Climate-Risk Reporting Rule Mean for Brands?

Cross-Posted from Marketing & Communications. While the new mandate was scaled back from what was originally proposed, US companies must now prepare to join many markets around the world in the climate-risk disclosure game.

Despite Its History, Not All Lobbying Is Bad

Unlike the majority of lobbyists dedicated to preserving business as usual, a new generation of lobby groups are using their power to fuel sustainable development.

Analysis of US Utilities Reveals Inconsistent Climate-Policy Advocacy

Cross-Posted from Organizational Governance. A new benchmark analysis of 12 of the largest US electric utility companies finds significant inconsistencies between utilities’ public climate commitments and their direct and indirect climate lobbying practices.

As COP28 Goes Into Overtime, Hope Dwindles for Meaningful Climate Agreement

Climate groups and world leaders decry draft agreement as falling fatally short of the clarity and ambition the climate and economy demand — including a phase-out of fossil fuels.

Carrot and Stick: European & US Businesses Must Learn From Each Other to Become More Sustainable

As our North American operations continue to grow rapidly, we have witnessed in microcosm the sustainability benefits of marrying together US innovation and efficiency with European standards.

New Carbon Accounting Alliance Seeks Industry Standardization, Regulation to Support Net-Zero Transition

Cross-Posted from Finance & Investment. The launch includes a call to action for organizations worldwide to use the tools of carbon accounting to drive transition plans and direct emission reductions.

Preparing for the CSRD’s Impact on US Companies

Like many recent rulings coming out of the EU, the CSRD is designed to drive the rest of the global economy — including around 3,000 US companies — towards meaningful action and ESG disclosure.

US States Cracking Down on Toxic Chemicals in Processed Food, Cosmetics

California and Washington are the latest states to attempt to fill gaps in public-health safeguards, thanks to a lack of federal protections against certain commonly used chemicals.

Food Donation Improvement Act Brings Measured Change, Opportunity to Reduce US Food Waste

Updated federal guidelines that reduce donor liability could begin to change the conversation around what is acceptable to consumers, especially as much-needed food begins to make its way to those who need it most.

Politics and Purpose: The US Consumer Response to Purpose-Driven Marketing Across the Political Spectrum

Cross-Posted from Marketing & Communications. How does identifying with a certain political party, generation or minority group influence whether consumers think more highly or more disapprovingly of a brand taking on a cause? Here is what we learned.

UN Forum on Business and Human Rights, Day 3: Responsible Lobbying vs ‘Corporate Capture’

Cross-Posted from Marketing & Communications. For most readers, bribery or corruption aren’t part of your everyday experience — though they should be part of due diligence processes on your business partners and supply chain. However, the danger that one department says one thing and another does something different and inconsistent is clear in every company.

Climate Change in the Divided States: Why Polarization Should Be Sustainability’s Most Important Issue

Cross-Posted from Marketing & Communications. If we continue to be distracted by our biennial game of political ping-pong, we are unlikely to avoid the most devastating impacts of climate change — unless we fundamentally address the underlying causes of polarization and disinformation as part of our sustainability agenda.

COP27: Focus on Policy and Process, Not Promises

Cross-Posted from Organizational Governance. As world leaders prepare to gather for COP27, sharp focus is once again on how governments can tackle the ongoing climate crisis. But there is a danger that retailers and brands will take a ‘wait-and-see’ approach about any resulting policy change, rather than tackling the challenges head on.