Companies between indifference to sustainability and progress
Under the heading ‘Bureaucracy or opportunity: Deciphering the economic value of CSRD & Co.’, a panel organised by the German Logistics Association (BVL) discussed the European sustainability directive CSRD. Moderated by Yvonne Bonventre, Head of Sustainability at BLG Logistics, the participants discussed whether it might make sense to slow down their own sustainability efforts in view of the postponement of the Brussels omnibus legislation.
A vote among the audience confirmed that half of the companies had indeed slowed down their measures; however, at 45 per cent, an almost equally large group is continuing ‘full steam ahead,’ according to the vote. Political regulation is important because sustainability creates competitive advantages, emphasised Nuvia Maslo, Head of Marketing at Munich-based software provider Verso and lecturer in sustainability management and communication at Augsburg University of Applied Sciences.
Fair comparability required
Marcus Wieser, Head of Sustainability at the medium-sized Geis Group in Bad Neustadt, Franconia, also supports the laws, which provide a uniform framework for fair comparability. ‘However, the EU must quickly clarify the changed requirements, because we want to tackle this,’ he emphasised.
Otherwise, there would only be a maximum of one year to adapt to the changed circumstances after the postponement.
Ultimately, however, it is not compliance with regulations that counts, but the successful implementation of effective measures. ‘The shareholders of the Geis Group ask me how many electric trucks and solar systems we have been able to put into operation, how many litres of HVO100 we have used and how far we have been able to reduce our CO2 emissions with this combination,’ he says, focusing on the essentials. He himself enjoys implementing the sustainability strategy.
However, he feels that the industry-wide expansion of e-mobility is progressing far too slowly, which makes him impatient. François Le Tourneau, Vice President Corporate Sustainability and Member of the Executive Committee at cosmetics group L’Oreal, pointed out that new standards always trigger cost discussions; this was also the case when the IFRS rules for financial reporting were introduced.
The CSRD affects many departments within companies and is therefore much easier to master through collaboration. However, in his view, the current difficult competitive conditions require a greater willingness to exchange data.
Digital twins for data analysis
As a member of the executive board of the Alice technology platform, he is working on decarbonising the industry through data analysis, the development of digital twins of physical systems and the implementation of intermodal transport, such as a train connection initiated by Ikea for combined transport from southern to northern Europe. ‘Sustainability should be a common theme for all of us, not a competitive issue,’ he said. His aim is to exchange data and cost structures in a secure environment. ‘This requires a change in the mindset of everyone involved.’
The first lever for introducing sustainable processes is therefore governance. This concerns the implementation of measures and action plans and is not focused solely on reporting. It is important to identify one’s own influence, risks and opportunities. Marketing manager Maslo also recommended looking at the big picture: ‘Who do we want to be – a front runner driving developments forward, or just complying with regulations as precisely as possible?’ (loe)
