The ISSB's deep roots

The sustainability movement stretches back decades — if not centuries, from the conservation movement sparked by figures like John Muir and Henry David Thoreau in the 1800s, up through the influential writings of Rachel Carson in the 1950s, and now the work of present-day activists like Greta Thunberg.

Below is a brief timeline of some of the events that shaped sustainability reporting.

(For a more detailed timeline on the evolution of sustainability reporting, see "A History of Sustainability Reporting," "A Brief History of Sustainability," and, "A World Sustainable Development Timeline." For more on the board's current activities and its ambitions for the future, see our feature article.)

1954

Harrison Brown's "The Challenge of Man's Future" published

1962

A stamp honoring Rachel Carson
laufer - stock.adobe.com
Rachel Carson's "Silent Spring" published

1970

planet-earth-model.jpg
Angel Garcia/Bloomberg
Earth Day established

1992

United Nations building in New York
Picasa/bluraz - Fotolia
The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change is signed

1994

John Elkington conceives the Triple Bottom Line framework

1997

Environmental social governance (ESG) text on wooden signpost outdoors in nature
jon anders wiken/Jon Anders Wiken - stock.adobe.com
  • The Global Reporting Initiative is formed
  • The Kyoto Protocol is adopted

1998

Emissions rise from the American Electric Power Co. coal-fired John E. Amos Power Plant in Winfield, West Virginia.
Luke Sharrett/Bloomberg
The Greenhouse Gas Protocol for measuring emissions is convened by the World Business Council for Sustainable Development and the World Resources Institute

2000

Water vapor rises from the NRG Energy Inc. WA Parish generating station in Thompsons, Texas.
Luke Sharrett/Bloomberg
The Carbon Disclosure Project is formed

2004

HRH The Prince of Wales hosts a meeting of his A4S, Accountability for Sustainability forum, part of the Prince of Wales's Charities, at St. James's Palace. A4S executive chairman Jessica Fries is sitting to his right.
Ian Jones/Ian Jones
Then-Prince Charles forms the Accounting for Sustainability Project, or A4S

2007

climate-fotolia-357.jpg
The Climate Disclosure Standards Board is formed

2010

HRH The Prince of Wales hosts a meeting of his A4S, Accountability for Sustainability forum, part of the Prince of Wales's Charities, at St. James's Palace. A4S executive chairman Jessica Fries is sitting to his right.
Ian Jones/Ian Jones
  • The International Integrated Reporting Council is formed by A4S
  • The International Accounting Standards Committee Foundation is renamed the International Financial Reporting Standards Foundation

2011

Environmental social governance (ESG) text on wooden signpost outdoors in nature
jon anders wiken/Jon Anders Wiken - stock.adobe.com
The Sustainability Accounting Standards Board is formed

2015

United Nations building in New York
Picasa/bluraz - Fotolia
The United Nations adopts its Sustainable Development Goals

2015

climate-fotolia-357.jpg
The G20's Financial Stability Board creates the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures

2018

SASB launches 77 industry-specific sustainability standards

2021

hands-in.jpg
  • SASB and the IIRC merge to form the Value Reporting Foundation
  • The IFRS Foundation announces plans to create the ISSB by consolidating the VRF with the Climate Disclosure Standards Board

2022

SEC building with official seal
Joshua Roberts/Bloomberg
  • The ISSB completes its consolidation of the CDSB
  • March: The ISSB proposes two standards on general sustainability and climate-related disclosures, S1 and S2
  • March: The SEC proposes its own climate-related disclosure rule
  • July: The Value Reporting Foundation holds "sunset" event before joining the ISSB
  • August: The ISSB completes consolidation of VRF

2023

Environmental social governance (ESG) text on wooden signpost outdoors in nature
jon anders wiken/Jon Anders Wiken - stock.adobe.com
  • April: The ISSB announces plans to consult on potentially expanding into four new projects on biodiversity, human capital, human rights and integration in reporting after first prioritizing climate-related disclosures
  • May: The ISSB opens consultation to make targeted amendments to SASB standards for international applicability
  • End of Q2: The ISSB expects to issue S1 and S2
MORE FROM ACCOUNTING TODAY