In 2025, ESG factors and sustainable investing are facing unprecedented headwinds—and new opportunities. From regulatory rollbacks in the US to shifting rhetoric and resilient investor demand, values-aligned investors must navigate a fractured, politically charged terrain. 

Attacks on Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) investing, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) and climate solutions initiatives and regulations like the Inflation Reduction Act and the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund will continue to reverberate through the industry for the foreseeable future. In this piece, I will share some of the areas where we are seeing significant changes that values-aligned investors may wish to pay close attention to as we move into the second half of 2025.

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Since the start of the second Trump administration, we have seen a series of rapid policy shifts (and reversals) and executive actions reverberate through the economy, the regulatory landscape, and the impact investing sector. From rollbacks of climate commitments and Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) disclosure rules to executive orders targeting diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, many of which are being challenged in the courts, these changes are nevertheless reshaping how investors engage with risk, opportunity, and mission. 

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Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) and impact investing are often lumped together, but there are meaningful differences between these approaches. With so much positive and negative spin and contradictory coverage of ESG and impact investing, many investors are understandably confused about what these terms mean and how they differ in practice. 

I have worked in the sustainable finance industry both in the United States and in emerging markets – for over 24 years and now lead one of the longest-serving ESG- and impact-focused investment advisory firms in the US. To help investors better understand the differences between ESG and impact investing, I will briefly compare them in terms of purpose, measurement practices, investment approach, and market size.

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