New Laws Raise Sustainability Bar for Tech Companies, Partners

California acts put more teeth into GHG reporting requirements.
By T.C. Doyle

California has signed two new rules into law this month, and they could have a significant impact on how technology vendors, including some of the world’s largest and most influential companies, report on their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Given the size and influence of California’s technology industry, these laws are expected to be embraced far beyond the Golden State’s borders.

The first law, the Climate Corporate Data Accountability Act, mandates that U.S.-based companies with annual revenue of $1 billion or more that do business in California will have to report more broadly on their GHG emissions. The second law, the Climate-Related Financial Risk Act, compels companies that generate $500 million or more in annual revenue to report financial risks related to climate change and their plans for r...