CSRD spotlight: Hot topics in the EU's green taxonomy

The European Union (EU) has ushered in a new era of sustainability reporting, as the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) is now effective. With impacts to both EU and non-EU headquartered companies, now is the time to understand the reporting requirements of this sweeping new regulation.  Continuing our CSRD series, this week we dive deeper into the EU’s “green” taxonomy regulation, which requires disclosure of certain metrics related to a company’s environmentally sustainable activities as early as 2024. In this episode, Heather Horn welcomes back PwC Germany senior manager Martin Schönberger to address common questions related to interpretation of the rules, eligibility of the activities, and calculation of the metrics as they apply to non-financial services companies. 

In this episode, you’ll hear discussion of:2:32 - The evolution of EU green taxonomy reporting from the original two objectives to the current six12:15 - Using the promulgated reporting templates as a tool to align activities to the taxonomy19:29 - Timeline for assurance requirements21:46 - “Eligible” versus “aligned” activities25:27 - The importance of educating and involving the procurement function and value chain participants33:10 - Challenges in reporting key performance indicators (KPIs)38:09 - Potential pitfalls in disclosures related to planned and aligned activities for sustainable capital expenditures50:02 - What’s coming next for taxonomy reportersLooking for more information on the EU Taxonomy? Check out the European Commission website for the official legislation and released delegated acts. For the basics on EU Taxonomy, listen to our earlier podcast episode, CSRD spotlight: Get up to speed on required EU taxonomy disclosures. Additionally, follow this podcast on your favorite podcast app for future episodes in this CSRD spotlight miniseries, and subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get all of our thought leadership, including an upcoming publication on EU sustainability regulations beyond the CSRD that impact non-EU companies, including the EU Taxonomy. Martin Schönberger is a senior manager in the National Office at PwC Germany, focusing on sustainability reporting. His work includes interpreting the latest regulations from European legislators and developing publications and trainings to communicate thought leadership to practitioners. Martin is also part of the Taxonomy Working Group, which coordinates technical issues regarding the EU Taxonomy within the PwC network.

Heather Horn is PwC’s National Office thought leader, responsible for developing our communications strategy and conveying firm positions on accounting and financial reporting matters. She is the engaging host of PwC’s accounting and reporting weekly podcast and quarterly webcast series. With over 30 years of experience, Heather’s accounting and auditing expertise includes financial instruments and rate-regulated accounting.

Transcripts available upon request for individuals who may need a disability-related accommodation. Please send requests to [email protected].