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After more than a year of pressure from environmental groups, the major outdoor retailer REI announced on Tuesday that it will ban hazardous “forever chemicals” from its clothing and cookware by fall 2024.

REI’s new product standards will require its suppliers to eliminate all per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, from the pots, pans, apparel, shoes, bags, packs, and similar gear sold by the retail chain. Suppliers of heavy-duty apparel like professional-grade raincoats will have until 2026 to make those products PFAS-free.

Transparency and accountability are core to our work at the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) and we are focused on continually improving, which is why we are releasing our new Commitment Compliance Policy today. It will come into force on January 31 2023, so companies have plenty of time to prepare.

The requirement applies to buildings approved after April 1, and affordable housing projects approved after June 1 of next year. Accessory dwelling units and cooking equipment for restaurants are exempt.

New environmental, social and governance (ESG) reporting requirements in the European Union and the US are set to fundamentally change the nonfinancial reporting landscape.

ESG has graduated from a reference in the financial statements of major corporations to a barometer for the health and long-term prospects of any business valued by investors

Most corporate boards lack a strong grasp of the ESG risks facing their companies or an understanding of company ESG strategy, according to PwC’s latest annual Corporate Directors Survey, and while ESG is working its way into key risk management practices, board discussions rarely include key topics such as human rights and climate change.

Growing numbers of small and medium-sized enterprises (SME), spanning a range of sectors and geographies, are signaling their commitment to an ESG-rooted integrated purpose—that is, a people, planet, and profit triple–bottom-line purpose. This article explores SME-related ESG opportunities and challenges. It also describes B corporation certification and discusses third-party attestation services.

Despite heightened attention to ESG issues, surprisingly few companies are making meaningful progress in delivering on their commitments. Most firms are not integrating ESG factors into internal strategy and operational decisions and are giving investors little to no explanation of the impact of ESG performance on corporate earnings.

Vital issues of corporate sustainability and adherence to ESG initiatives are increasingly becoming the responsibility of C-level executives.

TCFD was established in 2015 to develop recommendations on the types of information companies should disclose about climate change risks. The information supports investors, lenders, and insurance underwriters in appropriately assessing and pricing those risks related to climate change.