Navigating climate risk disclosures and decoding California’s climate mandates: Strategic compliance for professional service firms

Wednesday, September 24, 2025

We hosted an exclusive New York Climate Week program focused on California’s climate bills and the potential implications for professional service firms.

This CLE-accredited session unpacked the legal, operational, and strategic dimensions of climate-related financial risk disclosure and is intended to equip attorneys, accountants, compliance professionals, environmental, social, and governance (ESG) leaders with insights needed to prepare for fiscal year 2026 reporting.

California’s Climate Accountability Package: Preparing for SB 253 and SB 261 compliance

Beginning in fiscal year 2026, California’s Climate Accountability Package, comprised of Senate Bills 253 and 261, will require companies to disclose climate-related financial risks and greenhouse gas emissions using the Task Force on Climate-Related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) framework. This session provided a comprehensive overview of the legal, strategic, and operational implications of these mandates.

Session topics included:

• Disclosure applicability: Identification of entities subject to SB 253 and SB 261, including revenue thresholds and criteria for doing business in California
• Regulatory requirements: Detailed examination of the legal obligations under SB 253 and SB 261, including reporting timelines, assurance requirements, and compliance expectations
• TCFD framework overview: Exploration of the TCFD’s four pillars – Governance, Strategy, Risk Management, and Metrics and Targets – and how they align with California’s disclosure mandates
• Strategic reporting and best practices: Guidance on developing enterprise-wide climate disclosure strategies, integrating cross-functional collaboration, and leveraging existing data and frameworks to ensure robust and compliant reporting

Audience:

Compliance and sustainability executives at professional consultancy firms, including accounting firms and sustainability consultancies, and the legal community.

DLA Piper New York office
Conference room – 27A
1251 Avenues of the Americas
27th Floor
New York, NY 10020-1104

For more information
Contact Scott Mendoza with questions and/or dietary restrictions.

CLE credit was offered for this event.