Sustainability and corporate social responsibility

Business plays a key role in the development of society, not the least in offering jobs, but also in providing innovative solutions to major societal and environmental challenges, such as sustainable transport, eco-efficient products, promoting a healthy lifestyle or diversity at the workplace, often working together with stakeholders.

The broad ownership and development of sustainability and CSR amongst European companies continues to flourish.

Competitiveness and sustainability are not in opposition. In fact, there is evidence that where EU companies are relatively advanced in this field, they can have easier access to finance, and/or this can be a competitive advantage for them on international markets.

Europe must approach sustainability and CSR policies in line with its need to remain globally competitive, including in the implementation of the UN 2030 Sustainable Development Goals. It should be about encouraging and supporting sustainability in a partnership approach with companies and the relevant stakeholders. Policy intervention should focus on areas where it is needed and can effectively bring added value.

The key challenge for EU CSR policy is ensuring that it promotes further voluntary uptake and development of CSR by companies, whilst allowing them the flexibility to continue to shape their own CSR approach according to their specific circumstances and the needs of their stakeholders.

Publications

Press releases		Date
	EP vote on the corporate sustainability due diligence directive: The European Parliament failed to deliver workable due diligence rules	01/06/2023
	Corporate Social Responsibility must remain business-driven	16/04/2013

Position papers		Date
	Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CS3D) - Joint business statement	25/05/2023
	Taxonomy Environmental Delegated Act and revised Climate Delegated Act - BusinessEurope comments in reply to the public consultation	04/05/2023
	EFRAG Sustainability Reporting Board Consultation - BusinessEurope response to Survey 2 (Surveys 3A - 3D)	22/07/2022
	EFRAG Sustainability Reporting Board Consultation - BusinessEurope response to Survey 1 (Survey 1A - 1C, 2)	22/07/2022
	Roadmap for the next decade - Building blocks for realizing UNGPs implementation toward 2030 - Input from the IOE, BIAC and BUSINESSEUROPE	20/09/2021
	Corporate sustainability reporting directive - a BusinessEurope position paper	14/07/2021
	Taxonomy disclosure obligations - Draft Art. 8 Delegated Act - BusinessEurope reply to the public consultation	02/06/2021
	Potential extension of the taxonomy regulation to social aspects - a BusinessEurope position paper	21/05/2021
	Reporting requirements under the Taxonomy Regulation (Art.8) - BusinessEurope comments	22/02/2021
	Sustainability reporting - BusinessEurope reply to the IFRS Foundation Trustees consultation paper	20/01/2021
	Second revised binding treaty on business and human rights - Joint paper of the IOE, BIAC and BUSINESSEUROPE	07/10/2020
	Revision of the non-financial reporting directive - BusinessEurope's response to the public consultation	05/06/2020
	Joint business response to the revised Draft legally binding instrument to regulate, in international human rights law, the activities of transnational corporations and other business enterprises ("Revised Draft Treaty")	11/10/2019
	Joint business response to the Zero Draft legally binding instrument to regulate, in international human rights law, the activities of transnational corporations and other business enterprises ("Zero Draft Treaty")	18/10/2018
	Review of EU CSR strategy 2011-2014 - BusinessEurope's response to the public consultation	09/09/2014
	Disclosure of non-financial information - Joint statement by BusinessEurope, CEEP, EUROCHAMBRES and UEAPME	13/12/2013
	Disclosure of non-financial information	09/07/2013

Public letters		Date
	Taxonomy Complementary Delegated Act on gas and nuclear activities - Letter from Markus J. Beyrer to Members of the European Parliament	23/06/2022
	Consultation of business organisations on an EU comprehensive framework for business and human rights - Letter from Markus J. Beyrer to the European External Action Service (EEAS)	01/06/2022
	Taxonomy reporting - Letter from Markus J. Beyrer to Mairead McGuinness	06/12/2021
	Taxonomy Regulation Article 8 Delegated Act - Letter from Markus J. Beyrer to Peter Power	30/06/2021
	Climate-related aspects in the non-binding guidelines on non-financial reporting - Letter from Rebekah Smith to Alain Deckers, DG FISMA	22/05/2019
	Disclosure of non-financial information - Letter from Markus J. Beyrer to members of the European Parliament Legal Affairs Committee ahead of their vote on 17 December 2013, with voting recommendations	03/12/2013
	Country-by-country reporting - Letter from BusinessEurope, the European Issuers and the European Association of Corporate Treasurers to members of the European Parliament Legal Affairs Committee	06/11/2013
	Draft report by MEP Raffaele Baldassarre on corporate social responsibility - Letter from Markus J. Beyrer to members and substitutes of the European Parliament JURI Committee	07/01/2013
	Draft report by MEP Richard Howitt on corporate social responsibility (CSR) - Letter from Markus J. Beyrer to members and substitutes of the European Parliament EMPL Committee	07/01/2013

Reports and studies		Date
	A guide on CSR and human rights - what does it mean for companies in supply chains?	12/10/2015

Speeches		Date
	"Is Europe at a turning point for corporate reporting? The voice of Stakeholders", CSR Europe Workshop, 28 May 2013 - Speaking notes for Maxime Cerutti, BusinessEurope's Director of Social Affairs	28/05/2013
	Commission’s initiative on principles for better self- and co-regulation - Speaking notes for Maxime Cerutti, BusinessEurope Social Affairs Director, Conference on Fostering Corporate Responsibility through Self- and Co-Regulation, 23 April 2013	23/04/2013