Investors Call on Chemical Sector to Act Now to Protect Biodiversity Over $4 Trillion in Investor Assets Back Bold Statement on Safer Chemistry As momentum grows for global action on chemical pollution and biodiversity loss, more than 44 investors representing over $4 trillion in assets under management have issued a strong call to the chemical industry: transition away from highly hazardous chemicals and toward safer alternatives to protect biodiversity, human health, and long-term value. The… …
New IEHN Guidance Helps Beauty, Retail, and Personal Care Leaders Protect Value and Accelerate Safer Ingredient Innovation
July 15, 2025 Somerville, MA—New investor-led guidance released today by Clean Production Action’s Investor Environmental Health Network (IEHN) offers a powerful roadmap for consumer-facing brands to reduce chemical risks and unlock long-term value through safer ingredient innovation. Grounded in more than 60 shareholder resolution narratives, the guidance arrives amid heightened concern over chemicals like PFAS, phthalates, and BPA, which are now tied to significant reputational,… …
Recent federal rollbacks of environmental justice policies by the Trump administration are exposing U.S. companies—and their boards—to mounting litigation and reputational risks. As federal protections fade, states and citizens are stepping up enforcement, particularly in regions with long histories of industrial pollution. A new analysis in Financial Times Agenda warns that companies operating without robust environmental justice (EJ) tools, such as the rescinded EJ Screen, are more… …
In this compelling interview, Caroline Boden, Alexandra McPherson explores the critical role of sustainable investment in driving long-term value and protecting human and environmental health. As systemic risks like climate change, chemical pollution, and biodiversity loss converge, the conversation turns to how capital markets can support business models aligned with resilience, regeneration, and equity. From mobilizing finance for safer chemistry and regenerative agriculture to aligning with… …
In the past decade, the use of toxic pesticides – the catch-all term for chemicals used to control insects (insecticides), weeds (herbicides), and fungi (fungicides) – has created economic harm and financial risk for investors. For example, after acquiring Monsanto, a leading producer of glyphosate, a pesticide linked to cancer, Bayer is facing an estimated $16 billion in litigation costs [1]. The economic dependence we have on toxic chemicals is unsustainable as the costs associated… …
To better assess how companies are future-proofing supply chains and meeting growing demand for ingredients inherently safer for human health, climate change and biodiversity, investors are setting the following expectations in dialogues and engagements with food retailers, food manufacturers and agrochemical producers: Assessment and disclosure of a company’s material impacts, both positive and negative, and dependencies on biodiversity and ecosystems and their interaction… …
The Business Case for Effective Management of Environmental and Human Rights Impacts
Solar Supply Chains: The Business Case for Effective Management of Environmental and Human Rights Impacts As the global solar market surges toward a projected $436 billion valuation by 2032, this report outlines the urgent need for solar companies and investors to address escalating risks across the value chain. From forced labor in critical mineral mining to toxic chemicals like PFAS in manufacturing, unmanaged impacts threaten regulatory compliance, financial stability, and market access. The… …
The UN Global Framework on Chemicals provides a roadmap for investors on shifting away from harmful chemicals
Chemicals play a critical role in modern life, but their pervasive use and mismanagement have led to a triple planetary crisis of pollution, climate change and biodiversity loss. The chemical sector is the third-largest source of industrial greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions globally. Scientists, meanwhile, warn us that we’ve breached Earth’s thresholds for chemical pollution. Toxic chemicals can also cause health problems from infertility to cancer to neurodevelopment disabilities in… …
Introduction
In the United States, racial and ethnic minorities are exposed to higher levels of pollution than their white counterparts, contributing to higher rates of mortality and chronic disease. A history of racial inequity and environmental injustice within the United States was perpetuated, in part, by government-sanctioned policies and practices, such as redlining and segregation. In the 1930s, neighborhoods across the country were categorized by their “desirability” based on… …