Richard Howitt

The trouble is that it's both - but that the current negotiations seem to be failing to distinguish between the two. Please keep following this and add your voice!

@emmapriestland.bsky.social

What's at stake in the #INC52 #PlasticsTreaty negotiations just opened in Geneva? Listen again to our Frankly Speaking responsible business podcast with @emmapriestland.bsky.social from @breakfreefromplastic.org:
Spotify  open.spotify.com/episode/001w...
Apple podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/6...

Find out the very latest on the EU Omnibus simplification of Europe's corporate sustainability laws, at a special #SEDEX webinar tomorrow (Thursday 17 July) at 3pm BST (4pm CET). I'll be speaking alongside SEDEX's Charlotte Kincaid and PRI's Ben Leblique. Register at: info.sedex.com/eu-omnibus-p...

HSBC’s net zero alliance exit ‘hugely disappointing’, say shareholders The bank is the first major European lender to leave the NZBA

“I would have hoped HSBC would have had the courage of its commitments. I still hope banks will do so, as climate goals are too important for us to fail.”

After the latest departure from the Net Zero Banking Alliance, see my interview in The Banker: www.thebanker.com/content/d312...

#susfin

ENGIE’s ‘precycling’ plan could change utility-scale solar builds ENGIE’s new solar projects build recycling in from day one, using “precycling” to ensure panels are reused – not dumped – at end of life.

Plan for 'pre-cycling' 1 million solar panels i.e. building circularity in to low carbon energy infrsastructure, even in advance of it being built. Great initiative by @engie.com electrek.co/2025/06/18/e... #netzero #circulareconomy #climate

Commission provides guidance on sustainability agreement to reduce CO2 emissions in European ports The European Commission has issued informal guidance on the compatibility with EU competition rules of a sustainability agreement for the joint purchasing and the setting of technical specifications f

ESG critics in the U.S.A. say collaboration between companies to pursue sustainability goals is anti-competitive. Very good to see Europe very deliberately sending a signal that joint company actions for net zero are fully enabled under EU competition rules. ec.europa.eu/commission/p... #netzero

Supply chain due diligence really can be effective without being unduly burdensome. Hear from the Ethical Trading Initiative & TFG Brands London in the latest Frankly Speaking responsible business podcast.

Spotify: open.spotify.com/episode/3jae...

Apple: podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/8...
#CSDDD

Amazing claim from Big Oil:"The Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive is some of the worst legislation passed anywhere in the world-we're saving the Europeans from themselves" - ExxonMobil CEO. Will EU law makers accede to U.S.pressure?

Thanks @beatebeller.bsky.social @globalwitness.org

How can U.S. and global companies respond to fragmented regulation on sustainability disclosure, given multiple initiatives at the state-level and the rise of international regulation? Register for our @reuters.com webinar on Tuesday 8 July at 11am ET: events.reutersevents.com/sustainable-... #susty

Business in Eastern Europe is being harmed by the narrative that sustainability damages competitiveness, which is imposed by western Europe. Hear the latest Frankly Speaking responsible pocast out now. Spotify open.spotify.com/episode/5t62...
Apple podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/8... @cisl.cam.ac.uk

It has made sense that the UK Government waited until London Climate Week to publish its draft Sustainability Reporting Standards for companies. | Richard Howitt It has made sense that the UK Government waited until London Climate Week to publish its draft Sustainability Reporting Standards for companies. Lots of people are asking me where there are changes ...

How do the proposed U.K. Sustainability Reporting Standards (UK SRS) released this week differ from the global International Sustainability Standards Board IFRS S1 and S2 standards? See my analysis and how you can take part in the consultation at: www.linkedin.com/posts/richar... #sustainability

Aïe! French business speaks out against the EU Omnibus. Hear Sébastien Mandron from Worldline and the Collège des Directeurs du Développement Durable in the latest Frankly Speaking responsible business podcast.Spotify open.spotify.com/episode/4U6h... Apple podcasts podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/8...

OUT NOW! Corporate lobbying on the EU Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive and implications for the Omnibus. Join the Social LobbyMap launch webinar on business lobbying aligning with social & human rights. 📆Date: Wed 25 June
⏰Time: 2:30-3:45pm BSTOnline

us02web.zoom.us/webinar/regi...

What has to happen to ensure genuine co-responsibility and meaningful engagement with the Global South for corporate human rights and environmental due diligence? See findings from Indian Centre for Responsible Business round table I moderated in Brussels: www.linkedin.com/posts/richar...

Tack Marianne Bogle, lycka till alla i CSR Sverige med ert evenemang och jag ser verkligen fram emot svaren!

Thank you Marianne Bogle, good luck to everyone in CSR Sweden for your event and I very much look forward to the responses!

Lessons from the most severe cases of corporate human rights abuse. @michaelposner.bsky.social on his book 'Conscience Incorporated' in the latest Frankly Speaking responsible business podcast:

Spotify open.spotify.com/episode/4LGx...

Apple podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/7...

@nyupress.bsky.social

Catch up on the very latest on the EU Omnibus and what it means for sustainable business.

Join myself, Andreas Rasche and David Carlin for a Reuters Events Sustainable Business webinar tomorrow (Tuesday 17 June) at 9am BST / 10am CET.

events.reutersevents.com/sustainable-...

#Omnibus #CSRD

Has Germany turned against sustainability? Hear the results from a survey of 600 German companies from Fritz Putzhammer @bertelsmannst.bsky.social - my guest in the latest Frankly Speaking responsible business podcast: Spotify open.spotify.com/episode/09f2... Apple podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/7...

Every company is transforming its ESG data collection, analysis, management and governance systems - and none can claim that the job is completed.

See conclusions from the Data Keynote which I ran at #SustRepEU with Nokia, Standard Chartered and @ebrd.bsky.social.

www.linkedin.com/posts/richar...

When can companies do one job to meet the different requirements of sustainability reporting, human rights due diligence and the green taxonomy?

Important lessons for business in second panel I ran today at #SustRepEU with Hager Group and @societegenerale.com

www.linkedin.com/posts/richar... #ESG

Finance and Audit can benefit sustainability, but sustainability strategy has to continuously been informed by the data. Conclusions from Finance and Audit keynote I ran at #SustRepEU conference today with panel of @oliver-wyman.bsky.social @merckgroup.bsky.social
and @glaxosmithkline.bsky.social

"Businesses are ahead of politics." @larawolters.bsky.social tells #SustRepEU that common sense simplification is possible in EU sustainability laws but that the centre-right in Brussels seems a long way currently from wanting this. She commits to still seeking that, to give certainty for companies.

Good morning from the Sustainability Reporting Europe 2025 conference #SustRepEU. I'm moderating the sessions on the role on finance and audit, on how different frameworks inter-relate and on data management and governance. If you're at the conference, let's meet! DM here or come and say hello!

I'm honoured that the Frankly Speaking responsible business podcast which I host for Responsible Companies Frank Bold, now has 40,000 unique listeners.

77 episodes bi-weekly in 3 years on corporate sustainability, business & human rights.

Listen and subscribe!

www.linkedin.com/posts/richar...

Has China become the world's business sustainability leader? Hear new company reporting requirements explained by Impax AM's Nana Li, as my guest in the latest 'Frankly Speaking' responsible business podcast: Spotify open.spotify.com/episode/1TJg...
Apple podcasts podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/7...

Avoid duplication in corporate sustainability reporting by knowing the commonalities between different requirements. I'm running "Navigating the duality of CSRD, CSDDD, and EU Taxonomy" at Sustainability Reporting Europe 2025 next week. Join us! events.reutersevents.com/sustainable-... #SustRepEU

Sustainability Backsliding Doesn’t Have to Mean Back to Square One (SSIR) How companies are responding to US policy changes and what they should do instead

Ikea, Moody's, Archer Daniels Midland and Fortescue Metals Group are 'fighters', committing to keep their ESG and diversity goals, says @ssir.org. It also says many companies are substituting the policy vacuum by 'fostering' private agreements to pursue sustainability goals. ssir.org/articles/ent...

How are companies integrating sustainability reporting with finance and audit, in the new era of sustainability assurance? Join keynote session I'm running with Merck and GSK speakers at the Sustainability Reporting Europe 2025 conference 10-11 June in London events.reutersevents.com/sustainable-...

Does business really want sustainability simplified? Hear how 63% of companies do not think Europe's CSRD reporting law harms competitiveness, in the latest 'Frankly Speaking' responsible business podcast:
Spotify open.spotify.com/episode/7vVH...
Apple podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/7... #WeAreEurope

It's about climate but it's about more than climate - and why climate? Happy Biodiversity day - assigned by the United Nations.
#BiodiversityDay #SaveNature #ForNature #PartOfThePlan