News in the spotlight: Resale Tech Startup Archive Secures $30M to Expand Sustainable Retail Solutions
Circularity tech startup Archive has raised $30 million in Series B funding to enhance its platform, which helps brands develop and manage resale programs. Founded in 2021, the California-based company enables brands to resell secondhand items at higher margins while reclaiming supply through returns, past inventory, and consumer trade-ins.
Products and Services
BNP Paribas Directs Over 75% of Energy Financing to Low-Carbon Sources
BNP Paribas announced that 76% of its energy financing in 2024 was directed toward low-carbon energy, up from 65% in 2023 and 54% in 2022. The bank aims to reach 80% by 2028 and 90% by 2030, supporting renewables, biofuels, and nuclear energy. The bank’s credit exposure to low-carbon energy reached nearly €37 billion in 2024, approaching its €40 billion by 2030 goal. BNP Paribas has also provided €179 billion in financing for the low-carbon transition since 2022, closing in on its €200 billion target by 2025.
Resale Tech Startup Archive Secures $30M to Expand Sustainable Retail Solutions
Circularity tech startup Archive has raised $30 million in Series B funding to enhance its platform, which helps brands develop and manage resale programs. Founded in 2021, the California-based company enables brands to resell secondhand items at higher margins while reclaiming supply through returns, past inventory, and consumer trade-ins. Archive currently partners with over 50 brands, including The North Face, New Balance, and Dr. Martens. The funding will support global expansion, resale intelligence software, and innovation across multiple retail sectors. As demand for secondhand shopping grows—expected to reach $350 billion by 2028—Archive aims to help brands capitalize on this shift while boosting sustainability and profitability.
ESG Data & Analytics
Clarity AI Launches Tool to Help Fund Managers Navigate ESG Naming Rules
Clarity AI has introduced a new solution to assist fund managers in complying with evolving sustainable investment naming rules across Europe. The tool comes as regulators, including ESMA, FCA, and national authorities in France and Germany, tighten standards to combat greenwashing. ESMA’s new guidelines, for example, require ESG funds to allocate at least 80% of assets to sustainable investments and adhere to exclusion criteria. A Clarity AI analysis found that over 40% of ESG funds may need to rebrand under these rules. The platform simplifies compliance by consolidating regulations and monitoring criteria in one interface, currently covering UK SDR, German FNG, and ESMA benchmarks, with more labels coming soon. The goal is to reduce time spent on regulatory checks, allowing fund managers to focus on sustainable investment strategies.
Regulations, Law and Frameworks
EU Proposes Cutting Taxonomy Reporting Burden by a Third
The EU Platform on Sustainable Finance (PSF) has released a report proposing a one-third reduction in the reporting burden under the EU Taxonomy. The recommendations align with the EU Commission’s broader effort to ease sustainability reporting requirements. The EU Taxonomy, launched in 2022, classifies economic activities based on their contribution to six environmental objectives and requires companies to meet strict disclosure criteria. PSF’s proposals include simplifying corporate reporting, refining Do No Significant Harm (DNSH) criteria, and easing compliance for SMEs. The recommendations also suggest a streamlined green asset ratio (GAR) for banks and greater use of estimates in reporting. If implemented, these changes could significantly reduce administrative complexity while maintaining the Taxonomy’s effectiveness in mobilizing capital for sustainable investments.
UK Court Halts Shell, Equinor Oil Projects Over Climate Concerns
A Scottish court has blocked UK approval for Shell and Equinor’s major North Sea oil and gas projects, ruling that the government failed to consider the climate impact of burning the extracted fuels. While project development can continue, extraction is prohibited until the approvals are reassessed, with downstream emissions taken into account. The decision follows legal action by Greenpeace and Uplift, which argued that the environmental assessments for the Rosebank and Jackdaw fields ignored their full climate impact. Shell and Equinor, having already invested billions, urged the government for clarity. The ruling marks a significant step in tightening environmental scrutiny on fossil fuel projects in the UK.
€6.6 Trillion Investor Group Warns Against EU Sustainability Reporting Rollbacks
A coalition of over 200 financial firms, representing €6.6 trillion in assets, has urged the European Commission not to weaken key sustainability reporting regulations in its upcoming “Omnibus package.” The group warns that easing Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD), and Taxonomy Regulation requirements could create policy uncertainty and hinder capital flows toward EU climate goals. While supporting efforts to simplify reporting, investors stress the need for clear, reliable disclosures to drive sustainable investment. The statement calls for streamlining regulations, ensuring consistency with global standards, and leveraging digital solutions to ease compliance.
Leadership Announcements
Greentown Labs Appoints Georgina Campbell Flatter as CEO
Greentown Labs, North America’s largest climatetech startup incubator, has appointed Georgina Campbell Flatter as its new CEO. Flatter, co-founder of TomorrowNow.org and former MIT lecturer, brings extensive climate, energy, and nonprofit leadership experience. Founded in 2011, Greentown Labs supports nearly 600 climatetech startups, fostering innovation and collaboration. Flatter aims to accelerate the energy transition by strengthening Greentown’s entrepreneurial ecosystem in Boston and Houston. She succeeds Interim CEO Kevin Dutt, following Kevin Knobloch’s departure in 2024 (source: greentownlabs.com).
Net Zero Commitments
LEGO Expands Solar Energy: 72% Growth Planned for 2025
LEGO Group is set to increase its global solar energy capacity by 72% in 2025 as part of its sustainability strategy, aiming for net zero emissions by 2050. The company will expand solar installations across its production sites, including tripling capacity at its Nyíregyháza facility in Hungary and installing 12,400 solar panels at its new factory in Vietnam. Additionally, LEGO is working on an 80 MWp solar park near its headquarters in Billund, Denmark, expected to be completed by 2028. The company also plans to link employee bonuses to emission reduction targets, covering factories, stores, and business travel. These initiatives align with LEGO’s commitment to minimizing its environmental impact and contributing to a more sustainable future for the next generations.
DHL to Purchase 375M Liters of Sustainable Aviation Fuel Annually from Neste
DHL Group has expanded its partnership with renewable fuels producer Neste, agreeing to purchase 300,000 tons (375 million liters) of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) per year by 2030. The collaboration also includes exploring the use of renewable diesel in DHL’s road transport operations. This initiative aligns with DHL’s Sustainability Roadmap, which includes a €7 billion investment to cut CO₂ emissions, aiming for net-zero logistics by 2050. The company has set interim targets for 2030, such as using more than 30% sustainable fuels across all transport modes and electrifying two-thirds of last-mile delivery vehicles. Neste’s SAF, made from renewable waste like used cooking oil, reduces greenhouse gas emissions and is compatible with existing aircraft engines and airport infrastructure. The companies will also work on implementing renewable diesel to further reduce emissions in DHL’s road transport sector.
Pharma Giants Secure 10-Year Renewable Energy Deal Through Energize Consortium
The Energize pharma supply chain decarbonization initiative has signed a 10-year power purchase agreement (PPA) with X-ELIO, securing 245 GWh of renewable electricity annually for Haleon, GSK, Thermo Fisher, and Gilead Sciences. The energy will come from X-ELIO’s Lorca Solar Project in Spain and is expected to prevent 41,748 metric tons of CO₂ emissions per year. Energize, co-managed by Schneider Electric, includes 24 pharma and healthcare companies working to decarbonize supply chains and support suppliers in adopting renewable electricity. Thermo Fisher, which co-led the agreement, stated that this deal will allow it to achieve 100% renewable electricity for all addressable European sites and advance its goal of 80% global renewable energy by 2030.