Regulations Hub

ESRS

Complementing the CSRD is the ESRS, which delineates the specifics of how companies should report sustainability information to comply with the directive. The ESRS provides a structured framework for reporting, covering a range of environmental, social, and governance aspects and outlines how and what information and ESG metrics companies need to report to comply with the CSRD.

ISSB

The ISSB develops standards to ensure a global baseline of sustainability disclosures aligned with the needs of investors and financial markets.

ISO140001

An environmental management system (EMS) is a framework that allows a business to pro-actively manage its environmental risks and opportunities. An EMS provides processes, procedures, policies, assigned roles & responsibilities, continual monitoring and improvement of business organizational structures and practices, ensuring regulatory compliance within business legal context.

SEC Climate Disclosures

On March 21st, 2022, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) proposed a new rule, called The Enhancement and Standardization of Climate-Related Disclosures for Investors, which seeks to enhance and further standardise mandatory climate change disclosures for all publically listed U.S. companies.

Under the proposed climate disclosure rule, companies must provide detailed reporting of their climate-related risks, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions (Scopes 1,2 & 3), Net Zero plans, as well as governance approaches based on these factors. The proposal from the commission has further laid out plans to increase pressure on organisations asserting environmental claims and Net Zero commitments.

CDP Reporting

CDP, formerly known as the Carbon Disclosure Project, helps organisations, such as investors, companies, cities, states, and regions, disclose their environmental impact. Organizations are requested by investors and/or customers to respond to questionnaires across three topics: Climate Change, Water Security, and Forests. The questionnaires evaluate governance, strategies, targets & performance, risk & opportunity management, quantitative metrics, and supply chain engagement.

Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism

CBAM is a significant step forward for the EU’s commitment to sustainable trade and a sign of the times, as businesses and governments around the world are increasingly recognising the need to take action on climate change.

Streamline Energy and Carbon Reporting

Streamlined Energy and Carbon Reporting (SECR) is a mandatory reporting scheme that requires qualifying UK companies to prepare and file energy and carbon information in their Directors’ Report. SECR came into effect in April 2019.

EU Deforestation Regulation

The EU has adopted new legislation to curb the impact caused by the consumption of products associated with deforestation. The directive replaces and extends the scope of the European Timber Regulation (EUTR), which was specific to timber. 

Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation

The European Union (EU) has started to implement the Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation (SFDR), which sets out rules for classifying and reporting on sustainability and ESG factors in investments.

SFDR was developed to improve transparency, which of course helps to prevent greenwashing, as well as to direct capital towards more sustainable investments/ products and businesses.

Green Taxonomy

The European Union published the Regulation (EU) 2020/852 in June 2020 to establish a legal framework to facilitate sustainable investment. This standard contains system foundations for classifying sustainable economic activities from an environmental perspective and is a key piece for the European Union’s Sustainable Finance Plan which seeks to channel business investment towards low-carbon activities.

Task Force on Climate-Related Financial Disclosures

The TCFD’s aim is to develop consistent climate-related financial risk – and opportunity – disclosures for use by companies in providing information to investors, lenders, insurers, and other stakeholders. The TCFD framework is being adopted internationally at a rapid pace and has become the backbone of climate-related disclosure, companies now have to demonstrate TCFD alignment over a brief period.

EU Human Rights Due Diligence Directive

On 23^rd of February 2022, the European Union released the Corporate Accountability Due Diligence proposal that aims to foster sustainable and responsible corporate behaviour throughout global value chains.

German Supply Chain Act

The German Supply Chain Due Diligence Act, known in German as the Lieferkettensorgfaltspflichtengesetz (LkSG), was published in the German Federal Law Gazette on July 22, 2021. The objective of the act is for German business to comply with due diligence obligations to improve compliance with human rights and material standards within supply chains.

Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive

The Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive is a proposed European Union directive to identify and mitigate potential human rights and environmental impacts.

EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation

The overarching aim of the regulation is to reduce packaging production and associated waste as a primary objective, improve the recyclability of any packaging and grow the market for recycled content. The nature of this proposed regulation is widespread which will mean that it will impact anyone who places packaging on the EU market both small and large.

Extended Producer Responsibility

Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) is a regulatory tool that requires product manufacturers, importers and distributors to be significantly responsible for the end-of-life management of their products. As regulatory requirements vary greatly between jurisdictions and schemes, organisations often require deep subject matter expertise to help deal with the array of requirements and implementing bodies.

REACH

The aim of REACH is to protect human health and the environment from the risks posed by chemicals while enhancing the competitiveness of the EU chemicals industry.

SCIP

SCIP is the new database maintained by the European Chemicals Agency for information on Substances of Concern In articles as such and complex objects (Products). SCIP supports the Circular Economy in the EU by ensuring information on articles with SVHC is available throughout the whole article lifecycle, including the waste stage.

PFAS

PFAS, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are a group of more than 12,000 synthetic chemicals that have been used in a wide range of products and industries. The current form of the proposal, published by the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA), defines most PFAS as being very persistent in the environment; Therefore, action is needed to reduce environmental emissions and make products safer for consumers.