Sustainability Without Borders: A World Tour Of Sustainability Shifts

Climate change is not contained within borders – and nor are the concerns of sustainability leaders. In the 2025 Verdantix sustainability survey, over 68% of firms based outside of Europe stated that EU regulations play a significant role in increasing their spend on sustainability – a level of influence notable given that it was recorded after the Omnibus announcement. Similarly, over 60% of organizations from outside of North America highlighted the significance of state-led climate disclosure bills in increasing spend. Around the world, businesses are facing an increasingly complex sustainability landscape. Regulatory expectations evolve, political priorities shift, and pace of change varies dramatically by market sectors and regions.

To help sustainability leaders make sense of this evolving environment, we’ve developed a suite of country- and region‑specific reports that distil what executives need to know and what they need to do next.

Australia: Progress amid complexity
Sustainability disclosures are accelerating in Australia, with climate concerns at the forefront and a notable rise in social reporting.

Brazil: Safeguarding biodiversity and driving change
Brazil’s biodiversity and natural resource wealth are central to its economy, but social aspects are not forgotten. Regulations aim to improve environmental performance and address workplace inequality and labour conditions.

Canada: Transparency and natural resource protection
In response to global transparency pressures and the need to protect its natural resources and diverse communities, Canada is strengthening sustainability disclosure requirements across climate, plastics, diversity and human‑rights‑related reporting.

Europe: Simplification amid fragmentation
Europe’s sustainability landscape is evolving quickly, with the 2026 Omnibus Simplification Package clarifying timelines and streamlining requirements for the CSRD, CSDDD, EU Taxonomy and CBAM. Yet, national‑level rules and sector‑specific reforms continue to create a fragmented environment that firms must navigate carefully.

India: A pivotal force in global SDG success
India’s ability to meet the UN SDGs will determine the success of nearly half the global targets, making its sustainability framework especially consequential. With the BRSR framework at its core, India is charting a path for sustainable growth without proportionally increasing emissions.

Japan: Building resilience through regulation
Japan’s sustainability landscape is shaped by exposure to extreme weather, an innovation‑driven economy and social priorities. The government is advancing regulations that emphasize transparency and resilience.

United Arab Emirates: Rapid transition to mandatory action
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has moved from voluntary sustainability efforts to a comprehensive regulatory regime driven by national strategies – an evolution precipitated by growing climate risks including extreme heat and water scarcity (see upcoming report Strategic Focus: Understanding Sustainability Regulations And Reporting In The UAE). Its geopolitical ambitions and regional leadership see the UAE pushing sustainability alongside diplomatic efforts.

UK: Mature regulations, new pressures
The UK continues to view sustainability as both a national imperative and an economic opportunity. As the first major economy to legislate a 2050 net zero target and a country facing biodiversity loss and resource scarcity, its regulatory environment is robust and expanding.

US: Policy reset and strategic implications
Following the 2024 election, a Republican sweep across government bodies has reshaped federal policy, including attempts to eliminate DEI initiatives and reduce renewable energy incentives – moves that directly influence corporate sustainability approaches.

Explore the full suite of reports on Vantage to equip your firm with the insights needed to operate confidently in an era of rapid sustainability transformation.

Let us know which countries or regions you would like to see next! Alongside our upcoming UAE and Europe reports, keep an eye out for our North America regional report update that will build on the insights from our Canada and US reports – as well as delving deeper into disclosures and regulations in Mexico too.