US political and legal pressure on DEI is creating a growing disconnect with investor expectations, forcing boards to navigate conflicting risks between regulatory exposure and shareholder governance norms.

Climate litigation is moving upstream into corporate strategy, raising the prospect that courts could directly constrain future fossil fuel investment and redefine board accountability for capital allocation decisions.

A cluster of interventions on sustainability-linked stewardship landed in the three weeks when trustees have the least capacity.

On 31 March 2026, the United States Department of Labor (DOL) published a proposed rule that quietly but decisively rewrites the language of fiduciary duty under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA).

Disney shareholders rejected all proposals from anti‑ESG proponents at its 2026 AGM, with neither clearing 5% support.

US telecommunications giant AT&T has U-turned on its decision to exclude a diversity, equity and inclusion-focused (DEI) shareholder proposal from its 2026 proxy materials following a lawsuit from investors.

Amazon looks set to exclude at least seven shareholder proposals from its 2026 proxy statement without formal assent from the US Securities and Exchange Commission

A challenge to US President Donald Trump’s high-profile executive orders against diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programmes has been rejected by an appeals court.

Disney has revealed that three shareholder proposals from anti-ESG proponents will be voted on at its 2026 AGM amid concerns over litigation should resolutions be excluded following controversial changes to the ‘no action’ process.

A Texas federal judge has struck down one of the US’ most prominent anti-environment, social and governance (ESG) laws, ruling that prohibiting state investment in companies avoiding financing fossil fuels is unconstitutional.