Background
Since the launch of the European sustainable finance action plan, the financial sector is asking for improved information on the exposure of companies to sustainability risks. Diverse stakeholders think that companies should better account for their social and environmental impacts. And companies facing increasing transparency requirements consider that the related reporting costs are too high.
The EU Commission’s proposal for a new Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), and the proposal for an EU sustainability reporting standard-setting should address these various expectations and concerns.
Aim of the webinar
To give you further information about these initiatives and to highlight their implications for the financial sector, for stakeholders of sustainable development and for enterprises, the Federal Council for Sustainable Development (FRDO-CFDD) and the German Council for Sustainable Development (RNE) organize a webinar on June 17th, with the support of the EEAC Network. The morning session focuses on the EU reforms for sustainability reporting, and the afternoon session on their practical implications at the national level.
REPORT of the webinar
Programme
10:30 – 12:00 pm | EU reforms for sustainability reporting
Opening statements
- François-Xavier de Donnea, Chair of the FRDO-CFDD
- Arnau Queralt-Bassa, Chairman of the EEAC Network
- Jean-Pascal van Ypersele, Co-Chair of the WG on Transition Financing of the FRDO/CFDD
The Commission’s proposal for a Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) and the preparation of reporting standards
- Malgorzata Feluch, EU Commission, DG FISMA (presentation Malgorzata Feluch)
Challenging statements and debate
- Jean-Paul Servais, Chairman of the Belgian Financial Services and Markets Authority (FSMA), Vice chairman of the IOSCO Board and Chairman of the IFRS Monitoring Board (speech Jean-Paul Servais)
- Aleksandra Palinska, Finance Watch
- Philippe Lambrecht, Secretary-General and administrator of the Federation of Enterprises in Belgium (VBO-FEB) (presentation Philippe Lambrecht)
- Kerstin Lopatta, University of Hamburg (presentation Kerstin Lopatta)
Questions by the audience
14:00 – 15:30 pm | Insights on EU aspects | Sustainability reporting in practice at the national level
Introduction
- Brent Bleys
Insights on EU aspects
- Laszlo Borbely, State Councilor, National coordinator for SDGs, Department of Sustainable Development, Government of Romania (presentation Laszlo Borbely)
Existing standards and practices for sustainability reporting
- Isabelle Krahe, German Council for Sustainable Development and its Sustainability Code (presentation Isabelle Krahe)
- Adriana Gatu, Expert coordinating the establishment of the Romanian Sustainability code (presentation Adriana Gatu)
How to address the growing requests for sustainability information from the SMEs ?
- Luc Hendrickx, SME United (presentation Luc Hendrickx)
The need for sustainability information in the Belgian financial sector
- Tom Van den Berghe, Febelfin (presentation Tom Van den Berghe)
Questions by the audience
REVIEW THE WEBINAR (AM)
- Malgorzata Feluch, recording from 15:15
- Jean-Paul Servais, recording from 40:00
- Aleksandra Palinska, recording from 52:25
- Philippe Lambrecht, recording from 1:03:25
- Kerstin Lopatta, recording from 1:14:55
REVIEW THE WEBINAR (PM)
- Laszlo Borbely, recording from 05:20
- Isabelle Krahe, recording from 15:20
- Adriana Gatu, recording from 28:15
- Luc Hendrickx, recording from 53:42
- Tom Van den Berghe, recording from 1:09:37
