The International Securities Lending Association (ISLA) has published the 2024 netting opinions which support the title transfer versions of the Global Master Securities Lending Agreement (GMSLA). The 2024 opinions have been obtained by ISLA for the benefit of ISLA members who subscribe to the ISLA Netting Opinions service.

The International Securities Lending Association (ISLA) has published the 2025 netting opinions that support the title transfer versions of the Global Master Securities Lending Agreement (GMSLA), benefiting ISLA members who subscribe to the ISLA Netting Opinions service. The 2025 opinions include new additions for Andorra and Northern Ireland, increasing netting coverage to 67 jurisdictions. The Digital Assets Annex is introduced for the first time, covering Belgium, England, France, Germany, Luxembourg, and Switzerland. The opinion coverage has also been extended to include the Australian annex to the GMSLA 2010. The opinions cover companies, banks, securities dealers, and in most jurisdictions, insurance companies, hedge funds, mutual funds, and pension funds.

The International Securities Lending Association (ISLA) has published a discussion paper entitled ‘Prudential Banking Rules: Basel III Endgame & the Buy Side’, exploring the Basel III endgame from the perspective of implementation and unintended consequences. It focuses on the impacts for high-quality funds when transacting with banks and potential ways in which they can work with their sell side counterparts to address the upcoming challenges.

The International Securities Lending Association (ISLA) has announced the publication of the 2026 Netting Opinions, providing critical legal certainty for the title transfer versions of the Global Master Securities Lending Agreement (GMSLA).

The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and the Greenhouse Gas Protocol (GHG Protocol) have announced a partnership to harmonise their existing greenhouse gas (GHG) accounting standards and jointly develop new standards for GHG emissions measurement and reporting. The agreement will combine standards from the ISO 1406X series and GHG Protocol’s Corporate Accounting and Reporting, Scope 2 and Scope 3 standards into co-branded international standards, as well as a new product carbon footprint standard. The harmonised framework intends to simplify processes for companies, increase consistency for policymakers and reduce measurement and reporting burdens for users.

The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) has announced that its set to release, the fourth edition of ISO 14001:2026, the environmental management systems (EMS) standard, which will replace ISO 14001:2015 before the end of April 2026. The updated standard is designed to strengthen environmental protection while enhancing business outcomes by providing clearer guidance for implementation and ensuring regulatory compliance. Organisations currently certified under ISO 14001:2015 will be required to transition to the new version within their existing certification cycle, typically over a three-year period.

The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) has opened a public consultation on the Draft International Standard for the ISO Net Zero Aligned Organizations Standard (ISO 14060), which sets out a proposed framework for an independently verifiable standard intended to support organisations in developing net zero transition plans. The draft seeks to provide consistent guidance for organisations as they plan for the transition to net zero, including considerations related to business model adaptation, resilience to supply chain disruption, market volatility and climate-related risks, and broader organisational changes associated with transition planning, as well as issues such as energy security, emissions reduction pathways, and the integration of transition planning into overall business strategy. National consensus positions are expected to be established by early September 2026, and interested parties may participate in the consultation process through their respective National Standards Bodies.

The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) has joined the World Bank in releasing the World Development Report 2025. The report is the first to focus entirely on the role of international standards in global development, emphasising how they function as essential infrastructure for economic growth, trade, innovation, and sustainability. In this context, the report underscores the importance of construction and building standards, noting that they make up a major share of mandatory technical regulations across countries. These standards are essential for ensuring building safety, structural reliability, and public protection. They rely on strong quality infrastructure systems, including testing, inspection, certification, and accreditation, to ensure compliance. The report also notes that construction standards play a growing role in energy efficiency and environmental performance, linking the built environment to wider development and climate goals. The ISO and the World Bank call for broader global participation, stronger national standards bodies, and expanded support for capacity building to ensure that standards are relevant, inclusive, and aligned with development needs.

The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) has launched the development of its first international standard on net zero, which seeks to provide a global solution to assist organisations as they embark on their net zero transition. The standard aims to provide robust guidance and requirements, enabling the verification of the credibility of claims. A public consultation is expected to open later in 2025 to gather global input, with the standard expected to launch at COP30 in November 2025.

The International Organization for Standardization (ISO), in partnership with the International Electrotechnical Commission and UL Standards & Engagement, has launched ISO 17298, the first global standard focused on biodiversity. Introduced at the ISO annual meeting in Kigali, the standard provides an auditable framework for organisations to assess, manage and report their impacts on nature. It complements existing frameworks such as ISO 14001, ISO 26000, the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD) and the UN Sustainable Development Goals, supporting the Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework and its corporate accountability objectives.

The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) has launched ISO 17298: Biodiversity for organisations – Guidelines and Requirements, the first international standard to help organisations globally take action on biodiversity. The standard provides a practical framework for organisations to assess biodiversity impacts, dependencies, risks and opportunities, integrating biodiversity considerations into governance and risk management practices. It is designed to be interoperable with existing frameworks, including ISO 14001 and the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures, and contributes to Target 15 of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework on corporate biodiversity action. ISO 17298 also supports the production of credible, comparable biodiversity data that can inform investment decisions, improve disclosure and facilitate access to a nature-positive economy and biodiversity-linked markets.

The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) has published ISO 14001:2026, the latest edition of its environmental management systems standard. The 2026 edition updates the existing ISO 14001 framework and includes revised guidance and amendments to structure, with increased focus on leadership, governance and the management of environmental impacts across operations and value chains. ISO 14001:2026 is intended to align with other ISO management system standards and to support organisations in demonstrating environmental management and performance using measurable outcomes.