Given the EU Commission’s recent pushback on the Green Claims Directive, how can we ensure regulatory frameworks drive environmental transparency without creating disproportionate burdens for companies — especially SMEs — operating within the Single Market?
2 Answers
Anonymous User
Hi Anna, thanks for that great questions!
we recently discussed this question in our Beyond Compliance conversation with Dieter Overath together with Stefanie Kuhnhen (Chief Strategy Officer at Serviceplan Co-author of Superpower Sustainable Marketing) or Prof. Dr. Anne-Christin Mittwoch (Of Counsel at Graf von Westphalen and member of the Green Trade Team).
Stefanie for example pointed out that sustainability can either become an empty word — or a real superpower for brands, growth, and society. She argued that clear narratives and credible data are essential to avoid greenwashing and to turn regulation into opportunity.
And on the other hand Prof. Dr. Anne-Christin Mittwoch highlighted that voluntary standards are not enough. Strong legal frameworks like the #CSDDD (and potentially the Green Claims Directive) are needed to ensure claims are trustworthy and not just shifting responsibility down the supply chain.
Both perspectives suggest that the balance lies in making regulations enforceable but paired with practical guidance, so companies, especially SMEs, can comply without getting stuck in bureaucracy, while still building the transparency stakeholders expect. I linked both interview so let me think what you think!