ClientEarth and Frank Bold bring you their ultimate legal CS3D analysis. It unpacks every single environmental element of the directive and can be used by national governments to unlock its potential in the next two years.
The recently adopted Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CS3D) is the first cross-sectoral legislation requiring large companies operating in the EU market to identify, prevent, and address adverse impacts on human rights and the environment. This includes impacts throughout their own operations, those of their subsidiaries, and their business partners in their value chains. Companies must also implement a climate change mitigation transition plan to align their business model and strategy with the transition to a sustainable economy and the goal of limiting global warming to 1.5°C.
Furthermore, companies must externally communicate relevant information about their due diligence policies, processes, and activities, including findings and outcomes. For most companies subject to the CS3D, this reporting obligation is addressed by the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), which amended the Accounting Directive to require the disclosure of sustainability information.
This guide aims at encouraging ambitious and robust transposition, implementation and enforcement of the CS3D by:
On September 24, we will hold a webinar presenting the key findings and recommendations of the analysis, specifically on the environmental scope of the CS3D as well as climate transition plans.
We will also bring together sustainability experts and business to discuss the potential challenges ahead and the best practices linked to the implementation of Environmental Due Diligence.
Look forward to hearing from:
This spring, the European Commission's ETIP SNET platform released a study on the impact of energy communities on the grid. The analysis was followed up in August by the major pan-European CIGRE conference, where study authors discussed their findings with energy experts, including scientists and grid operators. They concluded that well-structured energy communities could benefit the grid if supported by the regulatory framework and other market participants.
The study on the sustainability disclosures of 100 influential companies from high-impact sectors provides an early reflection on the general readiness for businesses in the EU to meet the expectations of the upcoming EU sustainability rules and standards. Our report contributes to identifying the main challenges, as well as to highlight emerging good practices.
Thanks to legal support from the Frank Bold expert group, the Czech Neighborhood Association Uhelná, which has been opposing the adverse effects of mining at the Polish Turów mine, has achieved a significant milestone: at their initiative, the Czech Environmental Inspectorate (CEI) launched an investigation to assess whether mining activities at Turów are causing long-term water loss on the Czech side of the border. This is one of the first cases in which the Czech office has applied the Act on the Prevention of Ecological Damage. The Inspectorate has also included the Polish mining company PGE in the proceedings.
