Navigating California's SB 261 starts with solid, reliable data

SB 261 Climate
Risk Reporting

About the TCFD framework, the law's requirements, and how Arbor’s platform provides the essential data foundation for your report.

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SB 261 Overview What you need to know

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California SB 261

California's Climate-Related Financial Risk Act (SB 261)

requires a public report on climate-related financial risks to help companies avoid penalties and build a lasting climate strategy.

Requirements

A biennial (every two years) Climate-Related Financial Risk Report, consistent with the Task Force on Climate-Related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) framework.

Report Contents

Who it impacts

Public and private companies

Over $500 million in annual revenue

Doing business in California

CARB’s initial concept aligns with the state tax code, generally applying to companies organized in California or those exceeding specific thresholds for in-state sales (>735k ), property, or payroll (>735k), property, or payroll(>73k). This definition is not yet final and is under public review before being finalized.
See the full definition

Enforcement paused

A court injunction has temporarily paused mandatory enforcement and CARB has opened a voluntary docket for companies to submit reports.

$50,000 annual penalty

for non-compliance or for reports found to be insufficient by the state

Proposed fee

$1,403 (annual flat fee) to cover program implementation costs

Timeline

Enforcement paused

A court injunction has temporarily paused mandatory enforcement and CARB has opened a voluntary docket for companies to submit reports.

2025

Voluntary docket open from December 1, 2025 – July 1, 2026.

2026

First report must be published by January 1 (currently unenforceable due to court injunction).

2028

Reports must be updated every two years thereafter.

SB 261 Understanding the TCFD framework for SB 261

SB 261 requires reporting to be consistent with the TCFD framework, which is built on four key pillars. While all are important, the "Metrics & Targets" pillar is the quantitative backbone of your entire report.
In collaboration with

Governance

Strategy

Risk Management

Metrics & Targets

SB 261 Reporting How Arbor provides the foundation for your SB 261 report

Arbor provides the verified emissions data essential for a credible SB 261 report. Our platform empowers you and your partners to build a strong disclosure on a solid data foundation.

Master the "Metrics & Targets" Pillar

Arbor’s platform automatically provides the auditable Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions data to strengthen this critical section of your report. While CARB has relaxed the strict emissions requirement for the initial SB 261 filing, providing this data ensures full TCFD alignment and future-proofs your reporting against SB 253 requirements.

Empower Your Strategy & Risk Management

Without accurate emissions data, assessing transition risks like carbon taxes or changing consumer preferences is impossible. Arbor’s data gives you the quantitative insights needed to inform your qualitative narrative for the Strategy and Risk Management pillars.
In collaboration with

Streamline Collaboration with Partners

Provide your consultants or internal risk teams with a single source of truth for your emissions data. Arbor’s audit-ready platform ensures everyone is working with consistent, reliable numbers, making the entire reporting process more efficient. Arbor also collaborates with industry-leading consultants to facilitate gap assessments, prepare disclosures, implement governance strategies, and facilitate audits in a straightforward and reliable manner.
In collaboration with

What Arbor's customers have to say

Crocs

Working with Arbor has been amazing. Their platform and support provide the high-quality insights our product design and strategy teams need to make informed decisions. The data Arbor provides has directly helped our decision-makers reduce our organizational footprint with confidence.

Kieran Hooey
Kieran Hooey
Director of Global Sustainability & Compliance at Crocs, Inc.
Kieran Hooey
Director of Global Sustainability & Compliance at Crocs, Inc.
kitround

Arbor's platform and invaluable expertise helped us bridge the complex, data-scarce challenge of generating CO₂e footprints by delivering clear carbon insights that resonate with our consumers and partners.

Thomas Matthews
Thomas Matthews
Sustainability at kitround
Thomas Matthews
Sustainability at kitround
Hopewell

La plateforme de gestion du carbone de pointe d'Arbor fournit une solution rapide et facile en matière d'achats durables. Nous sommes désormais en mesure de prendre des décisions plus éclairées concernant nos fournisseurs, en nous assurant de ne pas donner la priorité à la qualité et aux coûts, mais également à l'impact environnemental de nos chaînes d'approvisionnement.

Hopewell
Hopewell
HopeWell.com
Hopewell
HopeWell.com
Scott Sports

Aide énormément nos équipes de produits et de conception.

André Goodman
André Goodman
Responsable de la RSE/du développement durable
André Goodman
Responsable de la RSE/du développement durable
Jermyn Street Design

Il était si facile à utiliser, les résultats sont apparus rapidement et il a fourni exactement les informations recherchées par Jermyn Street Design. La présentation claire et concise de la plateforme a facilité la navigation, ce qui m'a permis de calculer les émissions de carbone des produits pour un client clé en quelques minutes.

Lisa Cunningham-Sherret
Lisa Cunningham-Sherret
Spécialiste de l'environnement, des affaires sociales et de la gouvernance
Lisa Cunningham-Sherret
Spécialiste de l'environnement, des affaires sociales et de la gouvernance
Vogue Business

Arbor est applaudie pour avoir été plus complète et transparente que ses plateformes de données précédentes.

Rachel Cernanski
Rachel Cernanski
Rédacteur principal du développement durable
Rachel Cernanski
Rédacteur principal du développement durable
Varner

En mettant l'accent sur la précision et l'efficacité, le logiciel d'Arbor rationalise l'évaluation de l'impact, permettant aux entreprises de comprendre et de réduire leur empreinte carbone plus facilement et plus rapidement.

Varner A. S.
Varner A. S.
Varner.com
Varner A. S.
Varner.com
Cambium Global

Pour gérer et réduire efficacement leurs émissions, les entreprises ont besoin de données précises, granulaires et utiles à la prise de décisions. Les outils et les modèles tels que ceux développés par Arbor sont essentiels pour fournir ces informations aux entreprises.

David Carlin
David Carlin
Responsable des risques, Initiative financière du Programme des Nations Unies pour l'environnement (UNEP FI)
David Carlin
Responsable des risques, Initiative financière du Programme des Nations Unies pour l'environnement (UNEP FI)
WINQS Sports

Une application incroyable et un excellent service. Nous sommes une marque de sport axée sur la durabilité et nous recherchions depuis très longtemps une plateforme de calcul du CO2 comme celle-ci. Jusqu'à présent, aucune difficulté, allez-y !

Jan Kratochvil
Jan Kratochvil
PDG et cofondateur
Jan Kratochvil
PDG et cofondateur
Nudnik

Notre collaboration avec Arbor a changé la donne pour notre marque ! En démontrant l'empreinte environnementale de nos produits, nous avons renforcé le facteur de confiance auprès de nos clients et nos taux de conversion ont grimpé en flèche de 28 % !

Lindsay Lorusso
Lindsay Lorusso
PDG et cofondateur
Lindsay Lorusso
PDG et cofondateur
Conception d'arrière-plan de la comptabilité du carbone d'Arbor

SB 261 vs SB 253 A unified strategy for
California climate disclosures

When you partner with Arbor for both regulations, our SB 253 platform automatically generates the verified data needed for the "Metrics & Targets" section of your SB 261 report, ensuring a cohesive strategy with perfectly aligned data.
Regulation

SB 261

Climate-Related Financial Risk Act

SB 253

Climate Corporate Data Accountability Act
Status
Enforcement paused
Active
Applies to
Organizations with $500m+ revenue operating in California*
Organizations with $1b+ revenue operating in California*
Reporting frequency
Every two years
Annually
Third-party verification?
Not required, but organizations must follow disclosure frameworks
Required for emissions data
Regulator
California Air Resources Board (CARB)
California Air Resources Board (CARB)
Penalties
Up to $50,000 USD per year
Up to $500,000 USD per year
Talk to our team

Have questions?

Our carbon experts are ready to help.
Danny, William, Jordan from Arbor

Frequently Asked Questions about SB 261

What is California SB 261?

What is the penalty for SB 261 in California?

Are there fees for SB 261 compliance?

How does Arbor support SB 261 compliance?

What are examples of climate-related financial risks?

Can I use my company's existing ESG report for SB 261?

SB 261 Reporting Ready to build your climate disclosure strategy?

Let us help you build the data foundation for your California climate disclosures with clarity and confidence.

Explore our SB 261 resources

Get up to speed on California’s new climate disclosure laws with our expert guides and tools.
Guide

A Quick-Start Guide to California's SB 253 and SB 261

Download now

WebinarSB 253 and SB 261 Webinar

Watch recording

Blog What is California’s Climate-Related Financial Risk Act (SB 261)?

About SB 261

Blog A Guide to SB 253 and SB 261

SB 253 and SB 261

Blog What is California’s Climate Corporate Data Accountability Act (SB 253)?

Enforcement paused

A court injunction has temporarily paused mandatory enforcement and CARB has opened a voluntary docket for companies to submit reports.

SB 261 Enforcement Temporarily Paused

A court injunction has temporarily paused mandatory enforcement and CARB has opened a voluntary docket for companies to submit reports.