Policy, Regulation & Standards News | ESG & Sustainability | OneStop ESG

Blue Yonder Boosts Sustainability with Pledge Acquisition

Blue Yonder, a digital supply chain solutions provider, acquired Pledge Earth Technologies on May 1, 2025, to enhance its emissions reporting capabilities. Founded in 2021 in the UK, Pledge offers a cloud-based platform that automates shipment data collection and calculates emissions across air, sea, inland transport, and logistics hubs, compliant with GLEC and ISO 14083 standards. The acquisition enables Blue Yonder customers to monitor their own and their partners’ emissions, supporting Scope 3 reporting and sustainability goals. Quotes from Pledge CEO David de Picciotto and Blue Yonder’s Chief Sustainability Officer Saskia van Gendt emphasize the technology’s role in reducing carbon footprints and optimizing supply chain efficiency. The integration strengthens compliance with regulations like CSRD and SBTi, positioning Blue Yonder as a leader in sustainable supply chain management.

Deloitte Survey: 82% of Tax Leaders Expect More Disclosure as Sustainability and AI Reshape Global Policy

Deloitte’s 2025 Global Tax Policy Survey, covering 1,100 tax and finance professionals across 28 countries, highlights three trends reshaping tax functions: transparency, digitalization, and sustainability. 82% of tax leaders expect increased public tax disclosures within three years, driven by national laws and AI-scrutinized reporting. 86% see progress toward OECD’s Tax Administration 3.0, but only 29% believe AI will boost accuracy. Sustainability ranks third in priority, with 55% citing carbon taxes and CBAM costs as concerns, though only 36% fully use ESG incentives. The survey urges tax leaders to enhance data governance, cautiously adopt digital tools, and align tax with sustainability goals to navigate regulatory complexity.

Nestlé, ofi Launch Project to Reduce Emissions and Deforestation from Cocoa Supply Chain

Nestlé and ofi have launched a cocoa agroforestry initiative aimed at reducing carbon emissions and deforestation. By engaging 25,000 farmers across Brazil, the Ivory Coast, and Nigeria, the initiative plans to convert farms to regenerative agriculture practices, including planting over 2.8 million trees and cultivating 72,000 hectares of agroforestry. The project is expected to cut over 1.5 million tons of CO2 over the next 30 years, supporting Nestlé’s net-zero emissions commitment by 2050.

Microsoft Signs 44,000-Tonne Carbon Removal Deal with Carba Using Biochar Burial

Microsoft has signed a five-year agreement with Carba to purchase 44,000 tonnes of carbon removal credits beginning in 2025. Carba uses a pyrolysis process to convert biogenic waste into biochar for permanent carbon storage. The partnership represents a significant step toward scalable, monitored carbon removal technologies.

Biomas Launches First Large-Scale Reforestation Project in Brazil’s Atlantic Rainforest

Can You Lead Through the ESG Reset?

ESG fatigue is real — but it’s not the end of sustainable business. It’s a wake-up call for companies to move beyond glossy promises and deliver real-world impact. Here’s how leaders can navigate the ESG reset and rebuild trust in 2025.

Google’s offshore wind leap in Taiwan sets new bar for Asia’s clean energy future

IBM and ESA Launch TerraMind: The New AI Model for Earth and Climate Monitoring

Greenhushing: The Silent Retreat from ESG Commitments

More companies are going quiet about their climate commitments—not because they’ve abandoned sustainability, but because talking about it has become risky. This growing trend, known as greenhushing, sees firms pulling back on public ESG disclosures to avoid legal scrutiny, political backlash, and accusations of greenwashing. From BlackRock scrubbing climate pledges to McDonald’s rebranding its ESG messaging, silence is becoming a strategy. But what does this mean for transparency, investor trust, and real progress on climate goals? In this editorial, we unpack why companies are retreating from ESG conversations, the hidden costs of staying silent, and how businesses can strike the right balance between caution and credibility. If you’re navigating sustainability in today’s polarized landscape, this is a conversation you can’t afford to ignore.

Microsoft Exceeds 2025 Zero-Waste Goal with 90.9% Hardware Circularity

Microsoft has surpassed its 2025 zero-waste target by achieving a 90.9% hardware circularity rate in 2024. Through global Circular Centers, collaborative partnerships, and sustainable packaging innovation, the company is redefining cloud infrastructure with a focus on long-term, low-impact environmental design.

Apple Slashes Over 60% of Its Global Emissions, Sets New Sustainability Benchmarks

Apple’s 60% emissions cut is more than a climate milestone—it’s a call to action. Through recycled innovation, clean energy partnerships, and transparent reporting, the company is laying out a blueprint for large-scale corporate decarbonization. As 2030 approaches, the challenge will only grow, but so will the opportunity to lead.

Microsoft Signs World’s Largest Permanent Carbon Removal Deal: 6.75M Tons Over 15 Years

Microsoft’s deal with Fidelis to purchase 6.75 million tons of carbon removal sets a new global benchmark in the engineered carbon market. Through its AtmosClear partnership, Microsoft is driving innovation, creating jobs, and advancing toward its 2030 carbon-negative goal—while catalyzing a new era of high-integrity climate action.