Sustainability Insights

Insight: New EU Omnibus rules are tightening the screws on corporate accountability.

  The EU Omnibus Directive, adopted as part of broader reforms to consumer rights, marks a turning point for corporate transparency and sustainability claims. With greenwashing on the rise, the new rules aim to close the gap between marketing and reality—especially when it comes to environmental claims.

  Under the directive, companies can no longer use vague labels like “eco-friendly” or “climate-neutral” unless they can back them with independently verifiable evidence. Claims must be clear, specific, and substantiated. In short: say less, prove more. This affects more than just product labels. The regulation targets digital services, sustainability marketing, and product traceability, requiring businesses to disclose how environmental benefits are calculated, whether carbon offsetting is used, and if certifications are third-party verified. It also strengthens consumer rights to access information, return misleading products, and hold brands accountable for untruthful claims.

  For global companies—and those in partnership with EU markets—compliance will mean rethinking everything from website language to packaging to supplier audits. For Sustainable Margins, this signals a critical shift in the landscape: no more shortcuts, no more empty slogans. Sustainability needs substance.

 The directive also sends a strong message to the sustainability industry itself. Transparency and honesty are not just ethical—they’re legally required. As public awareness grows, and as consumers demand integrity, businesses must match their environmental ambitions with real, measurable action. And that’s where we come in: helping turn compliance into confidence, and regulation into opportunity.

  Because the Omnibus Directive isn’t just about what companies can’t say—it’s about creating a future where what they do say actually means something.