B Lab Europe’s Post

🌍 Standing Together for Smart Implementation and Transparency in Sustainability Reporting SWISOX is proud to join the call for smarter implementation of the EU's sustainability reporting standards. We believe that clear, transparent, and standardized reporting is essential to channeling funds into truly sustainable investments and combating greenwashing effectively. The NGO community's collective voice resonates strongly with our mission of connecting sustainable companies and investors. The points raised highlight the critical importance of maintaining robust frameworks like the #CSRD, #0ESRS, and #EU Taxonomy. These tools provide the foundation for creating a transparent market environment, one that enables both institutional and retail investors to make informed decisions and supports companies in their sustainability journey. At SWISOX, we see this as a pivotal moment. As the EU works towards its Green Deal goals, we must ensure that sustainability reporting does not become a victim of deregulation, but instead evolves into a system that fosters innovation, resilience, and accountability. We echo the call for: 👉 Consistent and evidence-based policy implementation to avoid legal uncertainty and market confusion. 👉 Increased transparency to level the playing field and enable finance to flow where it is needed most. 👉 Support for companies, especially SMEs, to adapt to these standards with minimal burden, unlocking access to sustainable finance. Together, we can ensure that sustainability reporting becomes a powerful tool for transformation, driving meaningful change across industries and borders. 💡 Let's keep the dialogue going and ensure these frameworks reach their full potential. Special thanks to organizations like WWF European Policy Office, and others for leading the charge. #SustainabilityReporting #ESRS #Transparency #EUGreenDeal #CSRD #SmartImplementation #SustainableFinance #Greenwashing #Swisox

VSME is EU's voluntary edition of a simple sustainability reporting framework for SMEs 📗 It's still being finalised, but the latest update has removed the 'double materiality' element - which essentially helps SMEs to understand what sustainability issues to prioritise to make the greatest impact. Read my blogpost if you're curious to understand what a double materiality assessment is, and why is crucial to conduct if you want to work strategically with sustainability ⚡️

📣 The new draft of the VSME excludes the DMA - a critical step in working strategically with sustainability    In the most recent version of EU’s voluntary reporting standards for SMEs (VSME), the DMA has been removed after input from the public.    In this article, we argue why we think it’s worth it for SMEs to conduct a DMA: 1️⃣ Helps understand sustainability impacts. The DMA equips businesses with a holistic overview of their impacts while pinpointing important financial risks to be aware of. 2️⃣ Sets a direction for sustainability efforts. It helps SMEs understand where to focus their often limited sustainability resources meaningfully. 3️⃣ Can be done in a simplified way. One way is to minimise the number of topics assessed by focusing on overarching matters such as climate change, pollution, biodiversity, workers’ rights and business conduct.   4️⃣ Identifies financial risks and uncovers new opportunities. The outcome of the DMA can be leveraged to future-proof your business.     Read the full article here 👉 https://lnkd.in/g_Bb7UDd

💪🏻 COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE ♻️For several years now, there has been an ongoing discussion on extending the compulsory drawing up of a sustainability report to a larger number of companies or making it compulsory in public tenders that go beyond the awarding of bonuses. 🇪🇺 As mentioned, there is a growing sensitivity of public decision-makers to the issue of sustainability in terms of strategy, just think of the relevance of the European Green New Deal and the fact that sustainable development is one of the two pillars together with digitalization on which the Recovery Fund is based. ✍🏻 These elements lead to the plausibility of the Sustainability Report becoming mandatory. 👥 Anticipating issues means laying the foundations for a competitive advantage and that is what makes the difference between those who undergo a process and those who steer it, also if you are a SME. 👇 Don't get caught unprepared, start writing your sustainability report with us now https://lnkd.in/dMs-QEeE #csrd #corporatesustainability #sustainabilityreport #ethics4growth   https://lnkd.in/dMs-QEeE

💡 Did you know that the jury of the previous edition of the Awards for Best Belgian Sustainability Reports welcomed 60% of the reports submitted in 2023 that were already aligned with the CSRD or would refer to it in the future? The Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) has become the hot topic of the year when it comes to sustainability. 🌿This standard aims to make companies more accountable to the public by requiring them to publish regular information on their societal and environmental impact, as well as on their governance. Three main objectives are: 🌱1. to reduce greenwashing, 🌱2. to strengthen the EU's social market economy, 🌱and 3. to lay the foundations for global reporting standards on sustainable development. 💡 And what about now with the ESRS ? The CSRD extends the EU's sustainability reporting requirements to all large companies with more than 250 employees and to all listed small and medium-sized companies. With the CSRD, companies will then have to report both on how sustainability issues affect their performance, position and development, as well as on their own impact on people and the environment (it is the so called “double materiality”). 🌿By doing so, these organisations contribute to greater transparency and accountability. Interested to find out more on this topic? Check it out on our website https://lnkd.in/emudhmis #sustainability #CSRD #ESRS

Our Principal, Pieter van Dijke, recently joined an ESG event hosted by KLAR Partners in London to dive into today’s pressing sustainability topics. Pieter shared his expertise on the evolving landscape of CSRD, the importance of Double Materiality Assessments, and effective strategies for ESG data collection. For a deeper look into these topics, download our CSRD e-book here: https://okt.to/IgZSmj #ESG #CSRD #ESGDATA #Holtara #Sustainability #DrivingPositiveChange

https://zurl.co/nba4 🚀 Exciting New Blog Posts Alert! 🌍 Dive into our latest articles to understand the key differences between the EU's NFRD, CSRD, and SFDR sustainability reporting standards, and discover practical steps your business can take to comply with these essential regulations. 📊📈 ✅ Part 1: Learn about NFRD, CSRD, and SFDR – What they are, their scope, and their real-life impact on businesses and investors. ✅ Part 2: Get step-by-step guidance on how to ensure your business meets these regulations, from establishing a sustainability reporting team to engaging with stakeholders. Plus, discover how The Corporate Sustainability Hub and Bionua can help you navigate these complex requirements with ease. 🛠️💡 🌟 Empower your business to lead in sustainability! Read now and stay ahead in the evolving landscape of corporate responsibility. 🔗 https://zurl.co/nba4 #Sustainability #CorporateResponsibility #ESG #NFRD #CSRD #SFDR #CorporateSustainabilityHub #Bionua #SustainableFinance #BusinessGrowth #GreenBusiness

https://zurl.co/nba4 🚀 Exciting New Blog Posts Alert! 🌍 Dive into our latest articles to understand the key differences between the EU's NFRD, CSRD, and SFDR sustainability reporting standards, and discover practical steps your business can take to comply with these essential regulations. 📊📈 ✅ Part 1: Learn about NFRD, CSRD, and SFDR – What they are, their scope, and their real-life impact on businesses and investors. ✅ Part 2: Get step-by-step guidance on how to ensure your business meets these regulations, from establishing a sustainability reporting team to engaging with stakeholders. Plus, discover how The Corporate Sustainability Hub and Bionua can help you navigate these complex requirements with ease. 🛠️💡 🌟 Empower your business to lead in sustainability! Read now and stay ahead in the evolving landscape of corporate responsibility. 🔗 https://zurl.co/nba4 #Sustainability #CorporateResponsibility #ESG #NFRD #CSRD #SFDR #CorporateSustainabilityHub #Bionua #SustainableFinance #BusinessGrowth #GreenBusiness

Another thought-provoking article emanating from BDO Belgium’s recent sustainability survey, which found that companies are feeling the strongest pressure to act on sustainability coming not from governments and other public authorities, but from their clients and employees. Find out why taking responsibility for an organisation’s value chain is important – and how companies can approach this. #Sustainability #ESG #ValueChain #CorporateSustainability #SustainabilityReporting https://bit.ly/48ymRuo

📈 The EU's new Corporate Sustainability Responsibility Directive (#CSRD) and European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS) will significantly change how businesses report on ESG practices. With mandatory reporting beginning in 2025 based on 2024 data, some companies are already ahead of the curve, voluntarily aligning with these standards from the 2023 reporting year. Jane Thostrup Jagd, Director of Net Zero Finance at We Mean Business Coalition, recently spearheaded a report showcasing 75 innovative solutions from 30 early adopters. Don't miss out on Jane’s insights! Listen as she discusses the report's aims, selection criteria, and what businesses should be doing now with Daniel Lösch, Founder of AtlasZero. 🎧 Click the link in the comments to watch for free ⬇️ #WMBC