Insight

Vinson & Elkins’ Quarterly Governance and Sustainability Updates – Summer 2025

Client Alerts

Welcome to Vinson & Elkins’ Governance and Sustainability Updates. Each quarter, our aim is to provide insights into notable developments in corporate governance, sustainability, and securities issues that could have an impact on you or your company.

To read the full report, click here.

Key Insights found throughout this issue include:

  • Shift in Federal Priorities:
    President Trump’s second term has brought significant changes, including a focus on deregulation, scrutiny of DEI initiatives, and a shift away from climate priorities set by the previous administration.
  • Impact on DEI and Environmental Justice:
    Executive orders have dismantled affirmative action and DEI policies, leading to legal challenges and uncertainty. Environmental Justice offices and programs have been terminated, impacting federal support for EJ initiatives.
  • Changes in Climate and Energy Policies:
    The U.S. has withdrawn from the Paris Agreement, but 24 states have committed to its goals independently. There is a pause on disbursement of funds from the IRA and Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, leading to legal challenges and uncertainty.
  • SEC and Corporate Governance Updates:
    New SEC Chairman Paul Atkins has indicated a shift in priorities, including nixing CEO Pay Ratio disclosures and revisiting climate-related disclosure rules. The SEC’s new system, EDGAR Next, aims to enhance security and traceability of filings.
  • Board Diversity and Proxy Advisor Policies:
    The Fifth Circuit vacated Nasdaq’s board diversity rule, leading to changes in proxy advisor policies and a relaxation of diversity expectations. ISS and Glass Lewis have updated their voting policies, reflecting the changing landscape.


This information is provided by Vinson & Elkins LLP for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended, nor should it be construed, as legal advice.

Discover our latest:

Insights

Events

Jenny Speck to Speak on BARBRI Webinar

Partner Jenny Speck will speak on BARBRI’s live video CLE program, “Tax Credit Insurance for Energy Projects: PFE Exclusions, Recapture, …

November 19, 2026

November 19, 2026 • 1-minute read

Events

Kathy Pakenham and Adriana Wirtz to Speak at TEI’s IRS Roundtable

Partners Kathy Pakenham and Adriana Wirtz will examine how a leaner, more data-driven IRS is selecting and conducting large business …

November 19, 2026

November 19, 2026 • 1-minute read

Client Alerts

Single v Multi Contracts in Nuclear Projects: The Size of the Burden

Introduction The construction of nuclear energy projects is complex and capital-intensive, and the contracting structure can significantly affect project delivery, …

November 13, 2026

November 13, 2026 • 6-minute read

Articles

State Attorneys General Widen the Antitrust Battlefield

State attorneys general are moving to the center of antitrust enforcement, with bipartisan coalitions attacking merger settlements, information-sharing arrangements, labor-market …

November 13, 2026

November 13, 2026 • 4-minute read

Events

Jenny Speck to Speak at Lockton U.S. Energy Risk Summit

Partner Jenny Speck will speak at Lockton’s U.S. Energy Risk Summit on November 12, 2026, in Houston, Texas. The summit …

November 12, 2026

November 12, 2026 • 1-minute read

News & Achievements
V&E

Get in Touch

Thoughts or questions? Send us a note, and we’ll connect you with the right person.

The ESG GC: How Your Role as Chief Legal Officer is Integral To Your Company’s ESG Efforts Background Image