CSO Futures

Record heat waves, deadly flooding and extreme weather reflect an ever warming planet poised to soon breach safe temperature limits, according to a UN report released this week, but doubling down on climate action now could avoid a climate catastrophe. The scorching heat in the northern hemisphere in recent months, raging wildfires and deadly floods are a warning of what lies ahead, UN secretary-general António Guterres said. This post is for subscribers only

EcoVadis, a global standard for resilient, sustainable supply chains, and CO2 AI, the AI powered sustainability intelligence platform, has announced a new partnership to help organisations accelerate their Scope 3 decarbonisation efforts. This partnership combines EcoVadis' comprehensive supplier carbon ratings and primary emissions data with CO2 AI’s advanced footprinting engine, moving mutual customers beyond spend based estimates to data backed primary insights.

Global temperature rise is set to cross 1.5°C, likely within the next few years, pushing climate risks and impacts to increasingly dangerous heights, but it is still possible to bring temperatures down and achieve global goals in the Paris Agreement, according to a new UN Environment Programme (UNEP) report.

Datamaran has announced a comprehensive rebrand, introducing a new visual identity, brand positioning, and website that reflect the company it has become: an AI powered governance platform trusted by leading global enterprises. For over 12 years, the company’s product centred on ESG issue management.

The latest issue of SEB’s Sustainable Finance Outlook analyses the European Commission’s proposed reform of the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS). It examines how higher carbon prices could squeeze building sector margins while encouraging investment in low carbon steel and cement production. The report also finds that this summer’s extreme drought reinforces the case for greater renewable energy investment. This post is for subscribers only

World Resources Institute (WRI) has announced Dr Hans Bruyninckx as the new regional director of WRI Europe. A long time leader in European environmental policy, he brings decades of experience spanning science, public policy and academia, including ten years at the helm of the European Environment Agency. He takes up the role at a pivotal moment for Europe, as governments navigate growing pressures around economic competitiveness and security alongside accelerating climate and nature risks.

The Green Block (TGB) is not just challenging the status quo – it is revolutionising it. As the creator of the world’s first globally patented Mobile Segregation Unit (MSU), a mobile material recovery facility (MRF) TGB is transforming waste from a costly liability into a high value, data driven asset, reshaping the future of waste management across industries and continents. This post is for subscribers only

EthiFinance, one of Europe's leading independent providers of credit and sustainability ratings, research, and data solutions, has appointed a pan-European executive committee to lead its next phase of growth. Headed by Carol Sirou, group chief executive officer, the committee comprises seven members selected from across the newly integrated EthiFinance and ESG Book businesses. This post is for subscribers only

Companies’ carbon emissions rose by over 500% between 2014 and 2023, finds new research by the University of Cologne. Yet the study, conducted by a research team including Professor Maximilian A Müller and Lucas Keil of the University of Cologne, investigated over 10 years of corporate sustainability reports and found that this sharp rise is driven largely by companies disclosing more, not polluting more.

SGS, the leading testing, inspection and certification company, is hosting a webinar, ‘From Carbon-14 testing to SGS green mark bio-based certification: the path to verified bio-based products’ on September 15, 2026. As interest in products containing bio-based materials continues to grow, manufacturers and brand owners are facing increasing scrutiny over how bio-based content is measured, verified and communicated.