Several leading ESG reporting framework organizations have indicated plans to further consolidate and align their frameworks to address concerns from the business community about complexity and overlapping reporting requirements.  Throughout 2025, framework organizations have issued several mapping tables and announcements about “interoperability” between the various reporting standards.  The pull back of ESG reporting requirements under the EU’s Omnibus package highlights some push back from the business community, asserting that the pace and complexity of ESG reporting requirements are overwhelming and businesses are looking for some relief.  There appears to be a strong desire for simplification and consistency, especially as a  growing number of jurisdictions adopt ESG reporting standards as law.  The concept of “passporting” has taken hold, where jurisdictions will accept reports prepared in accordance with International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB)standards that account for jurisdiction- specific differences.   

Two examples highlight this trend.  Recent announcements from the Taskforce on Nature-Related Financial Disclosures (TNFD) and the ISSB mention that the ISSB will proceed with the development of nature-related disclosure standards consistent with the TNFD  recommendations.  As a result, TNFD plans to complete all technical work in progress and pause the commencement of any further work to focus additional technical efforts on supporting the ISSB’s work. If and when ISSB finalizes the nature disclosure standards, TNFD may disband its technical work program. The International Standards Organization (ISO) and the Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Protocol announced a collaboration to issue a unified global GHG emissions accountingstandard. Under the agreement, ISO and GHG Protocol will combine their leading GHG standards into harmonized co-branded international standards. For those who have been following the emergence of ESG reporting standards for some time, the pace of change to the “alphabet soup” of reporting frameworks has slowed down compared to earlier years, but ESG leaders can expect a push for more consolidation in the coming year.   

• STP has been tracking a regulatory trend addressing workplace violence and overall worker well-being throughout the past year, and we expect this momentum to continue through 2026 and beyond.  The principle that workers who have better mental health and well-being in and outside the workplace leads to fewer accidents and better performance has taken hold, and regulators continue to adopt policies and programs aimed at protecting workers’ well-being.  In the past quarter, STP has  tracked 23 regulatory updates across the countries we monitor.  15 of the

updates were finalized in the last quarter of 2025, which means new requirements to be implemented in the new year.  The remaining eight updates are in a proposed status, with final adoption planned in 2026.  Globally, countries such as Canada, Chile, India, Italy, Saudi Arabia, and the United States have been active.  Notably, Saudi Arabia passed a comprehensive framework for evaluating employees’ physical and mental fitness to ensure safe and efficient job performance with aim to reduce workplace injuries and illnesses and promote employee well-being.  In Canada, the Ontario Legislature proposed updates to its Occupational Health and Safety Act to require employers to address workplace sexual violence and to require workplace sexual harassment training for all workers.