ESG has been in a challenging place over the last year. After years of building momentum and credibility, political headwinds created major hurdles to further progress. ESG programs and professionals have been suffering in much of North America and Europe as rules and regulations fail to materialize or are walked back. However, there is some good news. ESG may be in a difficult spot in some countries, but the rest of the world is showing substantial progress. This is reflected in CDP’s recent “A List” publication, which names 877 companies out of 22,100 as having scored an “A” on at least one of three sustainability areas. CDP states of the results:
“Despite global headwinds, over 22,100 companies disclosed environmental data through CDP in 2025. These companies represent more than half of global market capitalization including some of the world’s largest and most impactful companies…. The world’s leading companies – spanning all sectors and regions of the global economy – are not retreating on environmental transparency. They continue to see the powerful value of the insights generated through CDP’s disclosure process, helping them to build resilience and to seek new economic opportunities.”
It is encouraging to see more companies choosing to report under CDP, even in places where reporting is not mandated. This trend indicates that ESG and the value that it brings to companies is taking root in the global economy, even if certain parts of the world are lagging behind. The report notes that France, Turkey, and Japan contained the highest share of “A List” companies. Despite political efforts to stem the tide of ESG, reporting is becoming the international norm. Sooner or later, US markets will have to reckon with the fact that ESG is here to stay.
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