The EU Green Claims Policy sets clear standards for environmentally related marketing statements and is directed against greenwashing. Companies are required to scientifically substantiate their environmental statements and have them verified by independent third parties. Terms such as “environmentally friendly”, “ecological”, “green”, “sustainable” or “recyclable” are affected. Information relating to offsetting greenhouse gas emissions is subject to specific requirements. Statements such as “30% less emissions” or “50% less plastic by 2030” must be clear and verifiable. The guideline was presented in 2023 and will be mandatory from 2026.

The Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) is an EU directive that regulates companies' sustainability reporting. It came into force on January 5, 2023 and expands the scope and scope of reporting compared to previous regulations. For large companies that are already subject to the non-financial declaration requirement, the CSRD applies for financial years beginning on or after January 1, 2024. From January 1, 2025, other large companies will also be included, while capital market-oriented small and medium-sized companies must prepare for an application from January 1, 2026.

This Directive requires construction product manufacturers to transparently disclose their sustainability practices. This includes analysing the materiality of their activities and taking into account the principle of double materiality to ensure that both the impact on sustainability and the impact of sustainability on the company are recorded. For the manufacturing industry, the category is particularly ESRS E1 and E5 essential. In it, companies must provide specific information on their CO2 emissions, climate protection measures, as well as the use of resources and measures to promote the circular economy. In addition, disclosure requirements for pollutant content (E2) and water consumption (E3) may apply.

The Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD) is an EU directive that has been in force since 2023. Since 2024, large companies and capital market-oriented small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) must identify and assess human rights and environmental risks in their supply chains (Article 6). A key feature is the dual materiality principle (Article 7), which requires companies to comprehensively analyse and consider both the negative effects of their business activities on people and the environment and the potential risks that these aspects pose to corporate performance. In addition, companies are required to report regularly on their due diligence measures (Article 8) in order to prevent human rights violations (Article 4) and reduce negative environmental impacts (Article 5). The CSDDD thus promotes a more sustainable economy by focusing on responsibility and transparency.

The Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR) is part of the European Green Deal and sets precise requirements for various product categories in terms of sustainability. The regulation is intended to strengthen the circular economy and aims to extend the life of products. As part of ESPR, among other things digital product passports (DPP) introduced. These make information about the sustainability and environmental impact of products (including the content of the CPR) digitally available and processable. The DPPs are to be introduced in 2026. Download ESPR manual: this is how C2C Certified® meets ESPR requirements.