Corporate Responsibility Monitor 2025

The Corporate Responsibility Monitor 2025 finds that the tech sector faces a credibility crisis as AI growth drives exponential energy demand and emissions. The report argues that current accounting practices, which favor market-based over location-based reporting, obscure the true environmental impact of tech giants. While some companies like Google, Microsoft, and Apple show early leadership in renewable energy procurement and supply chain employment, the sector generally lacks transparency regarding third-party data centers, mineral sourcing, and device lifespans. The document calls for the GHG-Protocol and SBTi to mandate location-based reporting and for companies to adopt 24/7 renewable energy procurement targets to align with a 1.5°C pathway.

• The tech sector's reliance on market-based rather than location-based accounting for scope 2 and scope 3 emissions undermines the validity of their carbon neutrality and net zero pledges, particularly as AI increases energy demand.
• Certain companies have demonstrated early leadership in specific areas: Google and Microsoft use hourly matched renewable energy procurement, and Apple leads in renewable energy employment within its supply chain, though these efforts are not yet industry-wide.
• There is a significant lack of transparency regarding major emission sources, specifically the use of third-party data centers and the emissions associated with sourcing minerals.
• Tech companies are failing to implement critical transition measures to reduce production emissions, such as setting targets for device repairability or extending the lifespan of devices.

APA

Carbon Market Watch (2025). Corporate Responsibility Monitor 2025. https://carbonmarketwatch.org/campaigns/tech-2025-corporate-climate-responsibility-monitor/

Chicago

Carbon Market Watch. Corporate Responsibility Monitor 2025. 2025. https://carbonmarketwatch.org/campaigns/tech-2025-corporate-climate-responsibility-monitor/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Carbon Market Watch |title=Corporate Responsibility Monitor 2025 |date=25 June 2025 |url=https://carbonmarketwatch.org/campaigns/tech-2025-corporate-climate-responsibility-monitor/ |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{carbonmarketwatch2025corporate, author = {{Carbon Market Watch}}, title = {{Corporate Responsibility Monitor 2025}}, institution = {Carbon Market Watch}, year = {2025}, month = jun, url = {https://carbonmarketwatch.org/campaigns/tech-2025-corporate-climate-responsibility-monitor/}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }