A Cross Section of Company Statements Supporting Climate Action
Introduction
Over the past two years, the public conversation around corporate climate commitments has shifted considerably. Some companies that spoke openly about decarbonization have grown quieter, a phenomenon often described as “greenhushing”. Regulatory momentum behind mandatory climate disclosure at the federal level shifted to reverse, and sustainability language in public debate has increasingly been recast as a “woke” political position rather than a sound business judgment. And of course, the EPA relentlessly works to eradicate climate rules and regulations, including questioning science. Additionally, the SEC has moved to eliminate any company climate disclosure rules as they formerly propose to end the climate rule.
However numerous major American and global corporations continue to acknowledge that climate change is a critical risk and material business issue. When a food company states changing weather patterns threaten its agricultural supply chain or when an electric utility describes its net zero commitment in the environmental strategy section of its annual report, these are not political statements. They are assessments of business risk and opportunity, made by managements and boards with fiduciary obligations to their shareholders.
This document, compiled by the Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility, demonstrates that many businesses understand the necessity to address climate risk as part of their business planning processes. It is a business imperative. As Larry Fink, CEO of Black Rock has often said climate risk is investment risk. The breadth of sectors represented in this document also demonstrates that climate risk is not confined to any one industry, business model, or customer base, but is broadly embraced in the market today.
Corporate acknowledgment of climate risk matters for multiple reasons.
- It informs investors: Institutional investors representing trillions of dollars in assets continue to seek decision-useful information about how companies assess and manage climate-related risks, and corporate statements are a primary input into that analysis.
- It reflects good corporate management: Companies that publicly acknowledge their environmental footprint, and describe the steps they are taking to manage it, demonstrate accountability to the communities in which they operate, to their investors and to the broader public.
- It preserves an accurate record: At a moment when corporate climate language is being downplayed on websites, shareholder letters, and public communications, documentation of what companies have said over time carries independent value.
An analysis of company Form 10-K disclosures shows that most climate-related descriptions in annual reports appear in risk factor sections, where it is drafted primarily from a legal perspective often resulting in boilerplate language. A risk factor noting that climate regulation ‘could materially affect’ a business tells us little about how management actually views the issue. For that reason, this compilation deliberately draws fewer quotes from financial filings, and instead favors management responses to shareholder proposals, company Sustainability reports and other public statements. This presents a more comprehensive and clear record of company perspectives on the importance of climate action.
Finally, this document does not grade companies on climate performance. Several companies quoted here have missed emissions targets, revised goals downward, or face ongoing criticism regarding the adequacy of their transition plans. However, these companies understand the compelling case for addressing climate and integrating it into their business planning. They do not do this for “political reasons” but because they understand it is a prudent and sensible way to do business. The fact that they acknowledge climate as a business risk in today’s shifting environment is still a strong and relevant message.
Section 1: Financial Filings & Proxy Opposition Statements
Excerpts from Forms 10-K and definitive proxy statements (DEF 14A) filed with the SEC.
Energy
Dominion Energy | Form 10-K, FY2025, Environmental Strategy section (filed February 2026)
“Dominion Energy’s mission is to provide the reliable, affordable, and increasingly clean energy that powers its customers every day. Dominion Energy is working to achieve its commitment of net zero carbon and methane Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions and material categories of Scope 3 emissions… by 2050.”
Management statement, Environmental Strategy section of the annual report
Source: SEC EDGAR: Dominion Energy 10-K, period ended December 31, 2025
Chevron | DEF 14A, 2024, Statement in Opposition (p. 116)
In response to a shareholder proposal concerning the company’s renewable energy investments and climate strategy (2024 annual meeting).
“Consistent with other investments, Chevron invests in renewable energy opportunities in furtherance of driving long-term shareholder value… Chevron’s approach seeks to create value by delivering competitive returns across our portfolio of advantaged assets as we consistently strive to be more capital-, cost-, and carbon-efficient… Chevron’s strategic and business planning processes regularly assess market conditions to guide its actions as Chevron aims to safely deliver higher returns and lower carbon.”
Board of Directors, Statement in Opposition, 2024 Proxy Statement
Source: SEC EDGAR: Chevron DEF 14A, filed April 10, 2024
Technology
Meta Platforms | DEF 14A, 2026, Statement in Opposition
In response to a shareholder proposal concerning the company’s climate commitments (2026 annual meeting, May 27, 2026).
“As we continue to build the future of human connection and the technology that makes it possible, we strive to do so in a way that supports a more sustainable world. Since 2020, we have maintained net zero Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions in our operations and have matched 100% of our annual electricity use with clean and renewable energy… As of January 2026, we had contracted for more than 30GW of clean and renewable energy projects across the globe, of which nearly 12GW were already in operation. We believe nuclear energy will play a pivotal role in the transition to a cleaner, more reliable, and diversified electric grid.”
Board of Directors, Statement in Opposition, 2026 Proxy Statement
Source: SEC EDGAR: Meta Platforms DEF 14A, 2026
Nvidia | DEF 14A, 2026, Statement in Opposition
In response to a shareholder proposal requesting enhanced climate-related disclosure, including Scope 3 emissions reporting (2026 annual meeting).
“NVIDIA’s current practices evidence a clear commitment to sustainability, climate risk management, and effective disclosure. For example, NVIDIA consistently publishes highly detailed climate reporting, including in our 2025 Sustainability Report, which is assured by our financial auditor…”
Board of Directors, Statement in Opposition, 2026 Proxy Statement
Source: SEC EDGAR: Nvidia DEF 14A, 2026
Amazon | DEF 14A, 2025, Board Response on Sustainability
From the board’s discussion of the company’s sustainability program in the 2025 proxy statement (filed April 10, 2025), presented in the context of responses to shareholder proposals.
“The Climate Pledge and Carbon-Free Energy. In 2019, we co-founded The Climate Pledge, a goal to reach net-zero carbon emissions across our operations by 2040, a decade ahead of the Paris Agreement’s goal of 2050. We are proud that more than 550 companies across more than 55 industries and more than 45 countries have joined The Climate Pledge. As part of this commitment, we publish our carbon footprint and calculation methodology. In 2023, our absolute carbon emissions decreased by 3%, driven by an 11% reduction in emissions from electricity and a 5% decrease in indirect and supply chain emissions.”
Board of Directors, Amazon.com, Inc., 2025 Proxy Statement
Source: SEC EDGAR: Amazon DEF 14A, filed April 10, 2025
Banking & Financial Services
Wells Fargo | DEF 14A, 2026, Statement in Opposition
In response to a shareholder proposal requesting a report evaluating climate-related litigation risks tied to the bank’s financing of high-carbon activities (Proposal 8, 2026 annual meeting, April 28, 2026).
“Our existing public disclosures describe our own operational sustainability efforts as well as our client-centric sustainability approach. We seek to meet the financial needs of our customers, clients and communities whether they are seeking to pursue their own sustainability goals or make their businesses more resilient. We also set a goal in 2021 to finance or facilitate $500 billion in sustainable finance by 2030, and continue to report our progress towards this goal.”
Board of Directors, Statement in Opposition, 2026 Proxy Statement
Source: SEC EDGAR: Wells Fargo DEF 14A, 2026
JPMorgan Chase | DEF 14A, 2026, Board Qualifications (Sustainability)
From the board skills matrix in the 2026 proxy statement, which also contains a letter from Lead Independent Director Stephen B. Burke. The proxy includes shareholder proposals on climate initiatives and a sustainability ROI report.
“Experience with sustainability-related matters is important to effectively oversee potential risks and opportunities related to climate, nature and social factors that could affect the business, including business solutions that foster sustainable economic growth and support our clients in pursuing their sustainability goals.”
Board of Directors, director qualifications, 2026 Proxy Statement
Source: SEC EDGAR: JPMorgan Chase DEF 14A, filed April 6, 2026
Citigroup | 2025 Proxy Statement
“Through climate risk and net zero analysis, in 2024 Citi continued to review client activities and engage with them as appropriate to understand their climate risk profiles and their transition plans, including where applicable, how they plan to adapt to and/or manage climate-related risks and how we can support them.”
Citigroup Inc., 2025 Proxy Statement
Source: Citi 2025 Proxy Statement (PDF)
The Travelers Companies | DEF 14A, 2026, Statement in Opposition
In response to a shareholder proposal concerning climate-related risk measurement and disclosure (2026 annual meeting).
“The Company takes comprehensive measures to identify and mitigate climate-related risks in its business. As stated in the Company’s report, ‘understanding climate-related effects on weather perils is part of our fundamental evaluation process in connection with the underwriting and pricing of risks related to many of our products.’ Because… incorporating weather and climate variability into the Company’s underwriting and pricing decisions is ‘core to our strategy,’ the Company has made significant investments in technology, data and analytics and personnel to refine its view of, and effectively manage, weather- and climate-related risks and to inform its business strategy.”
Board of Directors, Statement in Opposition, 2026 Proxy Statement
Source: SEC EDGAR: The Travelers Companies DEF 14A, 2026
Consumer Goods
Unilever | Annual Report Sustainability Statement, FY2025
“We updated our quantitative scenario analysis in 2025 to consider both our most material climate and nature risks and drivers, recognizing their interconnectivity. This included physical and transition risks likely to impact our business over the short, medium and long term.”
Unilever PLC, Sustainability Statement, 2025 Annual Report
Source: Unilever Sustainability Statement 2025 (PDF)
Maersk | 2025 Annual Report Sustainability Disclosure / Climate Pages
Maersk’s FY2025 sustainability disclosures describe a company-wide climate risk assessment and 1.5°C aligned policy advocacy.
“In 2025, Maersk conducted a climate risk assessment to evaluate physical impacts on land-based assets and operations covering more than 1,400 own and third-party assets (terminals, warehouses, offices, and data centers), to identify exposure to hazards such as flooding, storm surge, windstorms, heatwaves, and water stress.” “Maersk is committed to conducting all our policy outreach in alignment with the goal of limiting global temperature rise to 1.5°C.”
A.P. Moller-Maersk, climate disclosures referencing the 2025 Annual Report Sustainability Statement
Source: maersk.com/sustainability/climate
Source: maersk.com/sustainability/climate Source: maersk.com, Climate Change (ESG priorities)
Section 2: Company Statements — Executives, Sustainability Reports & Media
Statements by named executives and official corporate communications, drawn from speeches, podcasts, press releases, sustainability reports, and corporate websites, 2025–2026.
Technology
Apple | Corporate Environment Page and 2026 Environmental Progress Report
“Climate change is a defining issue of our time.”
Apple corporate statement, 2026
Source: apple.com/environment
Apple | CES technology conference, 2025
“At Apple, we’re carbon neutral for our own operations and innovating every day to go even further in the urgent work to address climate change. The scale of this challenge is immense, but so is our determination to meet it.”
Tim Cook, Chief Executive Officer, Apple
Source: CES Ltd. ESG analysis, April 2025
Google | 2025 Environmental Report
“We reduced our data centre energy emissions by 12% in 2024 despite significant growth in electricity demand, showing it’s possible to advance the two great transformations of our time, the AI revolution and clean energy growth, hand in hand. This is about building for the future through new advanced energy innovations and deeper supplier engagement, both of which are core parts of our strategy as we work toward our climate moonshots, 24/7 carbon free energy and net zero by 2030.”
Kate Brandt, Chief Sustainability Officer, Google
Source: Sustainability Magazine, June 2025 (covering Google’s 2025 Environmental Report)
Source: Google: Environmental Report 2025 announcement
Microsoft | Carbon removal program statements, 2025
Microsoft is the world’s largest purchaser of carbon removal credits. On the company’s long-term offtake commitments:
“Nearly 100 percent of the carbon removal purchases announced in our current fiscal year will be delivered between 2030 and 2050 via long-term offtake agreements. We’re not looking at this sustainability report to sustainability report.”
Brian Marrs, Senior Director of Energy and Carbon Removal, Microsoft
Source: Trellis, June 10, 2025
Source: Axios, January 30, 2025 (7-million-ton Chestnut Carbon deal)
Accenture | Sustainability Strategy, corporate website (2025)
“Growing regulatory pressure, consumer scrutiny and risk of material financial shocks from climate change and nature loss means every business must be a sustainable business.”
Accenture corporate statement
Source: accenture.com, Sustainability Strategy
Aviation & Shipping
Delta Air Lines | Skift GreenShift podcast (June 2025) and CES interview (January 2025)
“Delta is not a sustainability company that just happens to have an airline; we’re an airline that has a sustainability team and policy. But we also know that if we don’t decarbonize, we lose our license to operate over the next hundred years.” “For us, it’s just become part of the business. Every business decision that we’re making at this point is taking sustainability into consideration.”
Amelia DeLuca, Chief Sustainability Officer, Delta Air Lines
Source: Skift, June 3, 2025
Source: Miami Herald via Georgia Tech Research News, January 2025
United Airlines | Corporate Impact Report (environmental strategy)
“United is on a mission to redefine the future of air travel with sustainability at the forefront. We believe that it is critical to continue to serve our purpose of connecting people and uniting the world, and we aim to find more sustainable solutions while also achieving our financial goals. Our ambitions are anchored in our business strategy, as building a future of sustainable aviation benefits our customers, employees and shareholders.”
United Airlines, Corporate Impact Report
Source: corporateimpact.united.com, Our Environmental Strategy
United Airlines | CERAWeek conference, March 2025
“I think SAF [sustainable aviation fuel] is the future.”
Scott Kirby, Chief Executive Officer, United Airlines, on the company’s path to its 2050 net zero and 2035 interim emissions goals
Source: Crain’s Chicago Business, March 11, 2025
Maersk | Corporate decarbonization commitment (current)
“Reaching net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2040 demands more than ambition, it requires action. Today, alternative fuels are scarce and costly. To ensure fair competition and meet net zero targets on time, global regulations are essential. No one can do it alone. To decarbonize the industry, we must work together: customers, fuel producers, shipping lines, and policymakers.”
A.P. Moller-Maersk, attributed alongside CEO Vincent Clerc on the company’s net zero page
Source: maersk.com, All the Way to Net Zero
Food & Beverage
PepsiCo | World Economic Forum panel, Davos, January 2026
“This is not about sustainability or profitability. This is about short-term or long-term. Growth is our business model, but growth for the long term means that we need to generate this growth without depleting the resources that will give us future growth.”
Ramon Laguarta, Chief Executive Officer, PepsiCo
Source: ESG Dive, January 21, 2026
General Mills | Climate Policy, corporate website (current)
“As a global food company, General Mills recognizes the risks that climate change presents to humanity, our environment and our livelihoods. Changes in climate not only affect global food security but also impact General Mills’ raw material supply which, in turn, affects our ability to deliver quality, finished product to our consumers and ultimately, value to our shareholders.”
General Mills, Climate Policy
Source: generalmills.com, Climate Policy
Mars | HBR Future of Business event / IdeaCast, December 2025
Asked directly whether political backlash has changed the company’s emphasis on climate:
“I would argue that this has absolutely nothing to do with politics at all. If you’re a food company, you fundamentally live from converting crops that you buy, processing them, and packaging. There is no person on this planet who cannot say that there are significant impacts, because of climatic changes, because of hurricanes, because of warming temperatures, where crops cannot be grown in certain regions where they used to be grown.”
Poul Weihrauch, Chief Executive Officer, Mars, Incorporated
Source: Harvard Business Review IdeaCast, December 2025
Healthcare
Johnson & Johnson | Sustainability Magazine, September 2025
“We are wasting no time making progress because we know there is no time to waste. The world needs bold climate action to advance both human and planetary health.”
Paulette Frank, Chief Sustainability Officer, Johnson & Johnson
Source: Sustainability Magazine, September 26, 2025
Johnson & Johnson | Corporate environmental sustainability page, 2025
“At Johnson & Johnson, we know that healthy people need a healthy planet. According to the World Health Organization, ‘climate change presents a fundamental threat to human health.’ That’s why, to support a healthy environment and the resilience of our business, we are taking action to improve the environmental footprint of our operations, our value chain and our product portfolio.”
Johnson & Johnson corporate statement
Source: jnj.com, Environmental Sustainability
Eli Lilly and Company | Corporate environmental sustainability page (current)
“Lilly acknowledges that climate change is negatively impacting human and environmental health. Action against climate change is required to achieve the goals of the Paris Climate Agreement and to avoid the most detrimental effects of climate change by limiting the global temperature rise to 1.5 °C. As a global company committed to making life better for people, Lilly recognizes our responsibility to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions to help fight climate change.”
Eli Lilly and Company corporate statement
Source: lilly.com, Minimizing Our Environmental Impact
Consumer Goods
Procter & Gamble | P&G climate initiatives page, 2025
“We see sustainability as a strategic way to help future-proof our operations and operate an agile, thriving business. Our focus is on significantly reducing absolute GHG emissions in our operations and supply chain.”
Procter & Gamble corporate statement
Source: us.pg.com, Climate Initiatives and Net Zero Ambition
Patagonia | Climate Goals, corporate website (current)
“The climate crisis poses an existential threat; if we don’t clean up our mess, we’ll be history. Business has a role to play, but it’s only one lever. We must use all the tools at our disposal to secure a safer, more just future.”
Patagonia, Climate Goals
Source: patagonia.com.au, Climate Goals
IKEA | TIME Earth Award acceptance, March 2026
“Being climate smart is being resource smart, cost smart.” “Companies are builders. We might need a bit of time to get moving, but once we get going, we’re not gonna go back.”
Jesper Brodin, then Chief Executive Officer, Ingka Group (IKEA’s largest retailer)
Source: TIME, March 27, 2026
Kimberly-Clark | Sustainability Policy, corporate website (current)
“Kimberly-Clark acknowledges the scientific consensus that GHG emissions from human activity, including those from our own operations, contribute to climate change, and we believe action must be taken to prepare our business for a low-carbon future.”
Kimberly-Clark corporate statement
Source: kimberly-clark.com, Sustainability Policies
Colgate-Palmolive | Climate Action Commitment, corporate website (current)
“Achieving that future means we have an important responsibility to address climate change and its threat to disrupt every aspect of our lives, from environmental impacts like weather events, water security and biodiversity, to food supply to socioeconomic stability.”
Colgate-Palmolive corporate statement
Source: colgatepalmolive.com, Climate Action Commitment
Utilities
Con Edison | Annual shareholders meeting, May 2024
“Never have the effects of climate change been more evident. And never has the need for solutions been more urgent. To meet this moment, Con Edison is moving forward with bold plans to enable clean energy in our region.”
Tim Cawley, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Con Edison
Source: Con Edison, Clean Energy Growth Strategy (May 20, 2024)
Section 3: Excerpts from Submissions to the SEC
Comment letters submitted to the SEC in 2022 in response to its proposed climate disclosure rule. The full public comment file is available on the SEC’s website.
Bank of America | SEC Comment Letter, File No. S7-10-22, 2022
“Organizations across markets and geographies will greatly benefit from common measurement tools and disclosure practices, which we believe will help accelerate the transition of the global economy towards lower (and ultimately net zero) carbon emissions. Various stakeholders, including asset owners and asset managers, will benefit from consistent, standardized disclosures addressing climate-related risks and opportunities to help them make decisions on where best to deploy capital in alignment with investor goals.”
Bank of America
Source: SEC public comment file, S7-10-22 (letter available in the comment index)
Amazon | SEC Comment Letter, File No. S7-10-22, June 2022
“Amazon is committed to fighting climate change. We recognize that this urgent global challenge demands collective action across all industries and sectors. We started investing in sustainability initiatives over a decade ago, and to help meet this global challenge, we co-founded The Climate Pledge in 2019, a commitment to reach net-zero carbon by 2040, 10 years ahead of the Paris Agreement… We support the Commission’s objective of providing ‘consistent, comparable, and decision-useful information’ to investors on public companies’ climate-related risks, initiatives, and metrics.”
Amazon
Source: SEC.gov: Amazon comment letter, June 17, 2022 (direct PDF)
UPS | SEC Comment Letter, File No. S7-10-22, 2022
“We recognize that climate-related disclosures are becoming increasingly important to the investment community, and that Greenhouse Gas (‘GHG’) emissions are a focus for many public, private and governmental organizations… we support increased climate-related disclosures through rulemaking that is appropriately designed to achieve the Commission’s objectives of increased transparency and comparability.”
UPS
Source: SEC public comment file, S7-10-22 (letter available in the comment index)
Occidental Petroleum | SEC Comment Letter, File No. S7-10-22, 2022
“Occidental was the first U.S. oil and gas company to establish net-zero goals for our total carbon inventory of Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions, including emissions from the transportation, processing and use of our oil and gas products by consumers… In addition to expanding our voluntary GHG emissions disclosure and interim reduction targets, we have presented our detailed pathway to net zero to our investors.”
Occidental Petroleum
Source: SEC public comment file, S7-10-22 (letter available in the comment index)
Methodology Note
Statements were collected from company news releases, executive speeches and interviews, sustainability reports, corporate websites, SEC comment letters, proxy opposition statements, and financial filings, prioritizing the 2025–2026 period. SEC comment letter excerpts date from the 2022 public comment period on the Commission’s proposed climate disclosure rule and are retained as a standalone category. Quotes were selected for affirmative acknowledgment of climate change as a business consideration; defensive risk-factor boilerplate was deliberately excluded. This compilation does not assess or rank companies on climate performance. Companies included here have in some cases revised targets, missed goals, or faced criticism of their transition plans; for that reason, their inclusion documents acknowledgment, not achievement.
Research support for this post was provided by Tanya Agawal.
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