Contributed by Stephen Ashkin, CEO of Green2Sustainable

New York has taken another major step toward mandatory climate transparency. The New York Climate Corporate Data Accountability Act (S9072A) has passed the State Senate and is expected to be signed by the Governor. If enacted, the law will require companies with more than $1 billion in annual revenue doing business in New York to publicly disclose their greenhouse gas emissions—including Scope 1, Scope 2, and, eventually, Scope 3 (supply chain) emissions.

The bill calls for annual reporting aligned with recognized greenhouse gas accounting standards and includes phased implementation and third-party assurance requirements.

With New York moving forward—joining states like California that have already enacted similar climate disclosure laws—two of the largest U.S. economies are now advancing mandatory corporate climate reporting. Collectively, these states represent a significant share of U.S. GDP, reinforcing that this is not a niche policy issue, but a broad market shift.

While the law directly applies to large companies, its impact will extend across supply chains—including the cleaning industry.

This is not about politics or debating climate science. It is about market reality.

Large customers—including corporations, healthcare systems, universities, property managers, and public agencies—will be required to report emissions. Once Scope 3 reporting is fully implemented, those companies will need credible emissions data from their suppliers, including their cleaning product and service providers.

Climate-risk transparency is shifting from voluntary to expected. Companies that build practical emissions reporting capabilities now will be better positioned to support customers, strengthen relationships, and differentiate in a competitive marketplace.

Sustainability reporting is increasingly about risk management, customer retention, and market access.

For the cleaning industry, the message is clear: prepare now—expectations are moving forward.