I really learnt a lot and enjoyed writing this paper , below is the submitted Abstract for shared learnings which summarises (i) the outcome , (ii) what I learnt and (iii)potentially can be used by the readers . After completing this work I now know that sustainabilty reporting is important and if applied correctly can be transformational for food systems and looking from a legal compliance lens going through a rapid period of change . As an advocate for Climate Change mitigation I will continue to work closely with business using these reporting tools to drive change.
Climate change mitigation targets are unlikely to be reached without a transformation of business operational models. In free-market economic systems, change can be directed and driven by stakeholder choice. Consumers concerned about sustainability can use their purchasing power to acquire products from, or invest in, businesses with strong green credentials. In turn, where this makes such businesses more successful and green practices become dominant, a fundamental sustainability transformation can occur. However, to enable this, there must be transparent, accessible information for stakeholders to measure and judge how green a business is, to direct both purchasing and investment decisions. In this commentary, we investigate private-sector sustainability reporting within the European Union (EU) through a policy lens, with two clear objectives. Firstly, to assess whether the EU legal reporting requirements of the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) match the policy commitments made by the EU to mitigate climate change. Secondly, to determine how effective such corporate sustainability reporting is for stakeholders. We demonstrate that there is a significant alignment of the reporting requirements of CSRD to the EU’s climate commitment. However, there is significant legal flexibility, and wide variability, regarding how this information is presented in business sustainability statements. While the corporate sustainability reporting requirements have improved over the past two years, we find that such reporting is not entirely reliable, a risk of greenwashing remains. For better informed investment and purchasing decisions, we consider that stakeholders should use established 3rd party sustainability reports carried out on businesses, rather than relying exclusively on sustainability reports issued by the business themselves.