At a time when there is so much uncertainty around sustainability and due diligence reporting with the ongoing Omnibus negotiations, it’s more important than ever to listen to the voice of business. How have companies in Germany been performing on sustainability reporting, and what does the future of the country’s green transition look like?

This week on the Frankly Speaking podcast, Richard Howitt was joined by Fritz Putzhammer, Project Manager at the Bertelsmann Stiftung, an independent research foundation which has been monitoring the sustainability transformation of the German economy over the last three years.

Together they discussed the results of the latest 2025 Sustainability Transformation Monitor, and how they compare to the recent high-level political discourse within Germany on sustainability and due diligence reporting, as well as to the EU’s Omnibus Simplification proposals. You’ll also hear more about:

• How the German Mittelstand (SMEs) are faring on sustainability reporting

• Why German businesses are falling behind on climate transition plans (CTPs)

• Bertelsmann Stiftung’s recommendations to policymakers for the years to come 

• The foundation’s personal message to German businesses 

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Last year, China issued its Corporate Sustainability Disclosure Standards, aligning its corporate sustainability reporting requirements to the ISSB and the EU’s CSRD with its double materiality approach. But with the EU’s own sustainability legislation in the process of being simplified, has China now become the world leader on sustainability? 

This week on the Frankly Speaking podcast, Richard Howitt was joined by Nana Li, Head of Sustainability and Stewardship of the Asia-Pacific region at Impax Asset Management. 

Together they discussed what the recently issued Chinese Corporate Sustainability Disclosure Standards mean for Chinese companies, and why China appears to be moving forward on corporate sustainability precisely when the United States and Europe seem to be moving backwards. You’ll also hear more about: 

• China’s Stock Exchange ESG Guidelines adopted last year 

• The impact of the US-China tariff war on China’s sustainability journey  

• To what extent data transparency within China has improved over the past decade 

• The latest updates on China adopting a Stewardship Code for investors  

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The European Commission says that EU sustainability legislation harms European business competitiveness. But does business really agree? 

This week on the Frankly Speaking podcast, Richard Howitt was joined by Ludovic Flandin, Vice-President and Founding Board Member of WeAreEurope, a new association of European sustainability professionals which was formed earlier this year. 

Together they discussed why Ludovic and his colleagues decided to set up WeAreEurope, and the main findings of their recent Europe-wide study on what businesses think about the CSRD and Omnibus proposals. You’ll also hear more about: 

• How business associations have reacted to WeAreEurope’s survey 

• Ludovic’s case for ESG representing a new transformation of capitalism, just like the digital revolution 25 years ago  

• The link between Europe’s sovereignty and power and the CSRD 

• Ludovic’s message to those working in business on the value of ESG and sustainability on a personal level 

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Last week, Microsoft signed one of the world’s largest carbon removal deals with carbon credit firm Rubicon Carbon, purchasing 18 million tonnes of carbon removal credits. But will investing in carbon markets necessarily reduce the urgency of reaching net zero emissions, and how large of a role should they play in the fight against climate change?

In a special edition of the Frankly Speaking podcast, Richard Howitt was joined by Dr Daniel Klier, CEO of the climate consultancy South Pole, which describes itself as the world’s leading carbon project expert.

Together they discussed the current progress in tackling global carbon emissions, as well as the findings of South Pole’s Net Zero survey of 350 financial institutions worldwide. You’ll also hear more about:

• How investors are currently engaging in "financial cakeism" by continuing to invest in fossil fuels alongside green assets 

• The case for why investing in carbon markets is such a vital tool in the toolbox against climate change, and how to do so without relaxing the urgency of delivering net zero

• South Pole’s message to sustainability professionals on what they should be doing at company level to realise the green transition 

• What Article 6 of the Paris Agreement means in practice, and why it was only ratified after nine years at COP29 in Baku last year 

• The consultancy’s verdict on how well existing Emissions Trading Schemes (ETS) worldwide are working 

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Corporate sustainability is currently facing a significant setback due to recent shifts in the geopolitical landscape. But how should businesses best respond, and how can they gather the courage to keep going working towards becoming more sustainable?

This week on the FranklySpeaking podcast, Richard Howitt was joined by author and speaker Andrew Winston, who has published multiple books on sustainability and was named as the third most influential management thinker in the world by Thinkers50. 

Together they dived into the debate on whether or not the acronym ESG should be dropped in favour of another term, and discussed what’s the most important thing to watch out for when it comes to AI from a sustainability perspective. You’ll also hear more about:

• Why Andrew believes the business case for sustainability isn’t the be all and end all - sometimes sustainability costs more, but so what?

• How business leaders can come together to fight climate change even in the face of political backlash 

• Andrew’s personal struggle with depression and the difficulty of being able to champion sustainability in the midst of a very challenging geopolitical context 

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Amidst this highly unpredictable global tariff war, there’s a new announcement each day on the latest round of tariffs being levied - or lifted - by and against the incumbent Trump administration. But what does this all mean for sustainability, and how will it impact companies on their green transition?

This week on the Frankly Speaking podcast, Richard Howitt was joined by Joeri de Wilde, economist at Triodos Bank, which actively works towards creating a just and inclusive society with respect for the planet, and describes itself as a leader in sustainable banking.

Together they discussed the link between tariffs and sustainability, and whether the European Union hitting back with retaliatory tariffs was really the right response. You’ll also hear more about:

• Triodos Bank’s criticism of the EU’s Clean Industrial Deal

• Why it’s so difficult to quantify the tangible impact of the tariffs on sustainability so far 

• Whether there’s really the appetite to create new international partnerships to counter the impact of the tariff war on global sustainability commitments

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With the CSRD reports of the first wave of EU companies due this year, what are the lessons practitioners have drawn from the experience? And in light of their experience, what do they think of the Omnibus proposals?

This week on the Frankly Speaking podcast, Richard Howitt was joined by Ulrike Sapiro, Chief Sustainability Officer at Henkel, the German-based chemicals and consumer goods company which has already aligned its reporting to the European Sustainability Reporting Standards.

Together they discussed the role of Henkel’s company values in its focus on sustainability, as well as the company’s message to policymakers on what result they want to come out of the European Commission’s Omnibus simplification proposals. You’ll also hear more about:

• What Henkel thinks of the new Science Based Targets Initiative standard 

• The German national perspective on the Omnibus 

• The vital role of technological advances in delivering a net zero and low-carbon future 

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With the departure of nearly a dozen US and Canadian banks from the Net-Zero Banking Alliance in the past few months, is the future of sustainable finance hanging in balance? And what is the verdict on how far and well the green transition is advancing?

This week on the Frankly Speaking podcast, Richard Howitt was joined by Antonio Ballabriga, Global Head for Sustainability Intelligence and Advocacy at BBVA, the Spanish multinational bank that has been working on sustainability and sustainable finance for almost 20 years.

Together they discussed why BBVA has bucked the trend of banks withdrawing from sustainable finance initiatives, including why it has instead chosen to double down on its sustainability agenda by increasing its sustainable investment twofold to €700 billion over the next five years. You’ll also hear more about:

• Why the Net-Zero Banking Alliance is considering altering its ambition of 1.5C to the minimum ambition of the Paris Agreement (below 2C),  

• How BBVA’s new concept of an ESG data pack will help companies and investors access all the information they need in one single deck 

• Why the bank decided to make a major investment in green hydrogen 

• Its views on the Omnibus and why it believes mid-caps must be kept in scope of mandatory disclosure 

• A call for policymakers to step up their efforts on sustainable finance to secure the green transition

  
  

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With the Commission’s Omnibus package now being examined and debated in the European Parliament and the Council, the stakes are high for European businesses. How is industry reacting to the Omnibus proposals, and what should they do now?

This week on the Frankly Speaking podcast, Richard Howitt is joined by Frank Bold’s Julia Otten and Maria Tymtsias, co-founder of the Palau Project and senior sustainability consultant.

Together they discussed the findings of Palau’s recent survey of over 170 businesses on their reaction to the Omnibus proposals, as well as what changes the co-legislators will likely make to the current proposals. You’ll also hear more about:

• What companies think of the Commission’s ‘Stop the clock’ proposal

• The strategic role of the DMA in sustainability reporting 

• Why it’s so important for businesses to make their voices heard right now

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Despite only being in office for less than 100 days, the Trump 2.0 administration has already passed several measures reversing the work of previous governments to fight climate change and embed ESG into the heart of American business practice.

This week on the Frankly Speaking podcast, Richard Howitt is joined by Anne Kelly, Vice President of Government Relations at Ceres, the NGO which has led advocacy for the sustainability transition in the US for more than 30 years.

Together they discussed what the second Trump administration means for sustainable business, and how those looking to defend ESG from rightwing backlash should respond.

You’ll also hear more about:

• Why the counter-response to Trump 2.0 will look very different to the counter-response to Trump 1.0

• How the investor community may react to Trump’s deregulation push

• How global sustainability standards may help US firms adapt during this anti-ESG environment 

• The reaction of US businesses to last week’s EU Omnibus proposals 

• The critical role of business leadership in responding to Trump’s anti-climate agenda

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