REP Wrap: IMO suspends global carbon tax for shipping industry

Your weekly summary of corporate sustainability news.

The UN-backed International Maritime Organisation has suspended the introduction of a global carbon tax on shipping. Approved by a big majority of countries back in April, the measure was widely expected to get the final green light at a vote in London this week. But it’s been delayed by at least a year after lobbying from the US, who threatened to sanction countries that continued to support the plan.

A leaked European Commission work programme has revealed various key dates in 2026 for energy and climate policymaking. They include a non-legislative action plan for electrification, and a legislative package for energy security in the first quarter of the year. The Circular Economy Act and updates to the EU Emissions Trading System are expected in the third quarter, along with the simplification of electrification progresses.

Meanwhile, the amended Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism was published in the Official Journal of the European Union on Friday, and will come into force next week.

The CEO of Salesforce has apologised for expressing support for Donald Trump, following pressure from staff. Marc Benioff recently said the US president was “doing a great job” and backed his plan to deploy troops in San Franscisco against the wishes of California’s governor. Silicon Valley veteran Ron Conway resigned from the board of Saleforce’s foundation on Thursday, and the Financial Times reports that more than 100 people claiming to be former or current employees or customers of Salesforce signed a letter threatening to “use every tool available to us […] to ensure the public understands the gap between Salesforce’s stated values and [Benioff’s] actions”. Benioff has since taken to social media to apologise for his remarks.

Sainsbury’s and Waitrose are the UK supermarkets with the best record on soy, according to a new assessment by WWF, which ranked Asda and Iceland at the bottom of the list. Soy is primarily imported to feed British pigs, chicken and salmon, and is one of the main drivers of deforestation in the Amazon.

The chair of luxury shoemaker Tod’s has slammed a prosecutor leading investigations into worker exploitation. Milanese prosecutors allege the firm failed to sufficiently monitor one of its Italian suppliers, which is accused of subcontracting production to Chinese firms paying low wages to workers. Speaking at a press conference, Diego Della Valle said companies should not be expected to know exactly what each of their suppliers are doing. “It is the suppliers’ responsibility to inform the company if it hands off parts of production to subcontractors,” he argued.