Our expert deep dives

Sustainability reporting has become an integral aspect of corporate transparency and accountability, providing stakeholders with insights into an organization’s environmental, social, and governance (ESG) performance. In recent years, the concept of double materiality has gained prominence as a crucial framework for comprehensive sustainability reporting. In this Insights post, we’ll explore what double materiality is and why it is essential for businesses navigating the complex landscape of sustainability.

Read more

On 18 July 2024, the “Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation” (ESPR) came into force, replacing the Ecodesign Directive (2009/125/EC). The latter set “ecological standards for the design of specific product groups” (mostly energy-related and greenhouse gas-intensive (GHG) products) “in the Member States of the EU”.[1] The Directive had a big impact on energy consumption: together with its sister directive, the Energy Labelling Regulation, these pieces of legislation have not only reduced the energy consumption of 12% of the regulated products by 2021, but also saved consumers 120 billion euros in energy costs. The Ecodesign Regulation, which replaces the Directive, has a wider scope, covering the “broadest possible range of products”, is directly binding and can adopt Delegated Acts to supplement the Regulation.[2] Furthermore, it is expected to deliver energy savings “equivalent in size to the EU’s import of Russian gas” by 2030.[3]

Read more

As the world grapples with the urgent challenges of climate change, businesses are increasingly recognizing their responsibility to address environmental issues. In this context, the Science-Based Targets (SBT) initiative has emerged as a powerful tool for companies aiming to align their strategies with the global imperative to limit global warming. In this blog post, we’ll explore the importance of the Science-Based Targets initiative and how it contributes to a sustainable and resilient future.

Read more

The landscape of sustainability reporting is rapidly evolving, with an alphabet soup of standards, initiatives, forums, and legislation both in and out of Europe. The introduction of the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) has further complicated matters, leaving companies with limited time to prepare for compliance. For business leaders it's crucial to understand how to effectively navigate this overwhelming subject. In this article, I suggest some practical strategies to embrace ESG reporting, turn compliance into a competitive advantage, and drive long-term value creation for your company.

Read more

As a sustainability manager in a large European company, you're likely experiencing the rapid evolution of the sustainability landscape. Gone are the days when sustainability was primarily about CSR (corporate social responsibility) and branding. Today, it's about deep dives into data, from carbon footprint and CSRD compliance to EU Taxonomy alignment and ESG surveys. With the increasing complexity and cross-functionality of sustainability management, it's clear that relying solely on Excel and manual processes is no longer feasible. You need a robust tool to manage and consolidate. You will want to save time and money, avoid mistakes, and ensure a clear audit trail. But with so many options available on the market, how do you choose the right tool? This articles provides you with 9 key tips to help you make the right decision.

Read more

The EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) is a cornerstone of the EU’s policy to tackle climate change by reducing GHG emissions in a cost-effective and economically efficient way in the industry and aviation sectors. It contributes to the EU’s climate neutrality objective and applies the ‘polluter pays principle’, which means that those who emit the most should pay the most.[1] It “seeks to promote investments in emission reductions by making energy-intensive business as usual expensive” and “offers a great opportunity for the EU to shift funding from polluting activities to climate action, innovation and energy sector modernisation.”[2] Essentially, the EU has given CO2 a price by creating the ETS, whereby incentives are created to reduce emissions. The ETS has already achieved a reduction of emissions of 47%, between 2005 and 2023. The reform in 2023 announced a more ambitious reduction of 62% by 2030, “this would bring the cap to zero by 2039” for the industries it covers.[3]

Read more

Sustainability and ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) has been high up on the corporate agenda since a number of years. It has become top of mind for business leaders, employees, and investors in all industries and in all four continents. Improving sustainability and ESG scores have become crucial for short-term and long-term corporate success. In 2023, this trend is bound to accelerate. In the European Union sustainability reporting will be a matter of compliance by 2024. By 2029 over 50.000 companies of all sizes except for micro-enterprises will be subject to sustainable finance regulations. Here are 5 reasons why now is a good time to develop a solid ESG reporting process.

Read more