Editor’s note: should ESG experts ‘move away from reporting’?
The latest edition of our Sustainable Views newsletter
Dear reader,
I hope you’ve had a good week. Here, the team has been busy diving into some of the most pressing sustainability areas facing ESG professionals ahead of the UN climate conference, starting at the end of November.
In our second COP “prep” article, Philippa looks into the risks of getting ESG reporting wrong, and considers the issue of who exactly should be in charge of such tasks within companies.
Let me share this interesting quote from the global head of reporting of a Dutch lender (noting that the Netherlands is one of the most progressive markets when it comes to embracing sustainability principles).
The reporting expert says sustainability disclosure is very much the job of the finance department and that “sustainability people,” on the other hand, should “move away from reporting and stop interfering with good data collection [and] regulatory compliance”.
With ESG disclosure standards and rules looming large – and not just in Europe – does this comment touch a nerve? Are you experiencing tensions between your finance and sustainability teams? As always, let us know.
Also today, we share news about the agreement over the EU Nature Restoration law, and green groups’ criticism over its final text being “full of loopholes”.
We also bring you a summary of other key news in ESG policy and regulation, including the “deforestation” complaint against BNP Paribas, Crédit Agricole, BPCE and Axa that non-profit Sherpa lodged with the French national prosecutor.
The issue at hand is the financial companies’ holding of bonds by Brazilian meat producers, which, argues Sherpa, are exposed to illegal deforestation in the Amazon.
Finally, below you’ll find our most popular articles of the past few days, plus a suggestion from the team.
Enjoy the weekend,
Silvia
Silvia Pavoni is the editor of Sustainable Views
This week’s top content
Coca-Cola, Danone and Nestlé face EU complaint over plastic bottle recycling claims
98% of sustainability programmes fail. Is B Corp the answer?
In Charts: Tobacco in Article 9 and alcohol in Article 8
EU social taxonomy could return, but its name is ‘absolutely burnt’, says former rapporteur