As ESG standards become more prominent-and more contested-globally, organizations must navigate increasing scrutiny from regulators, NGOs, litigation funders, and stakeholders. This dashboard aggregates major litigation trends, regulatory actions, and high-profile controversies to help users anticipate risks and benchmark their exposure in a rapidly changing landscape.
ESG Litigation Trends
Tracks the volume and nature of ESG-related lawsuits, including greenwashing claims, climate-related litigation, supply chain disputes, and discrimination cases. It highlights regional hotspots and emerging areas of legal exposure, such as consumer protection and workplace discrimination.
Regulatory and Legislative Developments
Monitors global regulatory changes, such as new anti-greenwashing rules, fund labeling requirements, and landmark mandates like the EU Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD). The dashboard also flags significant legislative shifts, including both pro- and anti-ESG laws in the US and abroad.
Controversy Heatmap
Visualizes major ESG controversies-such as public allegations of greenwashing, supply chain abuses, or diversity and inclusion disputes-by sector and geography, helping users identify reputational flashpoints and industry trends.
Legal and Reputational Risks
- Greenwashing and disclosure: There is a marked rise in greenwashing litigation, with regulators and plaintiffs targeting companies for misleading sustainability claims, inadequate disclosures, and unsubstantiated net zero commitments. The introduction of CSRD in the EU and similar frameworks elsewhere is expected to intensify this trend, especially as mandatory reporting requirements come into force.
- Polarization and divergence: ESG remains highly polarized, particularly in the US, where both pro- and anti-ESG legislation are on the rise. This creates a complex compliance environment, with companies facing simultaneous pressures to strengthen and scale back ESG practices depending on jurisdiction.
- Social and governance litigation: Beyond environmental issues, there is growing litigation around workplace discrimination, diversity initiatives, and supply chain practices. Recent legal precedents have lowered the bar for discrimination claims, expanding the scope of potential liability for companies, especially in the US.
- Preparedness and technology: Despite rising risks, more legal departments feel equipped to manage ESG litigation, leveraging advanced risk management practices and AI-driven tools to identify, monitor, and mitigate emerging threats.