Large companies will have to publish a report on their compliance with various ecological and social criteria. The CSRD directive is the subject of much debate. Yannick Urrien of L'Hebdo Bourseplus, interviewed our expert Pierre Maugery-Pons on this subject.
Pierre Maugery-Pons, Expert Partner at EFESO Management Consultants: "The CSRD regulation has reached a high level of complexity."
After weeks of anticipation, the European Commission has reviewed the legislative “simplification” package announced in November 2024 by Ursula von der Leyen.
This new proposal aims to streamline corporate sustainability reporting obligations by focusing them on the largest companies. As a result, nearly 80% of the businesses initially targeted by the CSRD directive—particularly mid-sized enterprises (ETIs) and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs)—could be exempt from some requirements.
Under the revised framework, companies with fewer than 1,000 employees will no longer be subject to the current regulations. However, they will have the option to adopt a simplified reporting model. Additionally, a working group will be established to refine reporting requirements and reduce the number of mandatory data points. A simplified version of CSRD-related reports is expected to be introduced in the coming months.
Furthermore, the implementation of the CS3D directive has been postponed by one year, giving affected businesses additional time to comply.
However, experts emphasize that exempting companies with fewer than 1,000 employees does not completely relieve them of their responsibilities. Investors, lenders, and major clients will continue to demand sustainability reports—even without a strict regulatory framework—keeping pressure on companies to maintain transparency and accountability.
For the full article in French, please visit L’Hebdo Bourseplus
