Did US Companies Pull Back from Sustainability Reporting in 2025?
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Sustainability Regulation & Disclosure

A TCB Benchmarking Release

Did US Companies Pull Back from Sustainability Reporting in 2025?

10 March 2026 / Quick Take

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In mid-2025, The Conference Board reported a sharp 48% decline in sustainability reports published by US public companies during the first half of the year, compared with the same period in 2024. This quick take revisits the analysis using full-year data for 2025.

In mid-2025, The Conference Board reported a sharp 48% decline in sustainability reports published by US public companies during the first half of the year, compared with the same period in 2024. This quick take revisits the analysis using full-year data for 2025.

Trusted Insights for What’s Ahead®

  • Full-year sustainability reporting declined—but far less than midyear data suggested. Across the year, 1,444 Russell 3000 companies published sustainability reports in 2025, compared with 1,739 in 2024—a 17% decline. The sharp midyear drop largely reflected delays in publication rather than widespread abandonment of sustainability reporting.
  • Large companies mostly maintained reporting practices. Among the S&P 500, reporting fell only slightly—from 476 companies in 2024 to 458 in 2025 (a 4% decline). For large corporations, sustainability disclosure has become institutionalized, driven by investor expectations, global regulatory exposure, and integration with enterprise risk management and strategy.
  • The pullback is concentrated among smaller and mid-cap companies. The larger decline across the Russell 30

Author

Andrew Jones, PhD

Andrew Jones, PhD Andrew Jones, PhD

Principal Researcher, Governance & Sustainability …
The Conference Board

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