What should you be looking out for in the corporate sustainability space in 2026?
For this very first episode of Frankly Speaking in 2026, Richard Howitt was joined by Marianne Gros, Sustainability Reporter at Politico Europe, and Robert Hodgson, Energy, Environment and Transport Editor at Euractiv to predict what's going to happen in the sustainability field this year.
Together they assessed whether the final Omnibus 1 deal agreed at the end of last year really marks the end of sustainability Omnibus debate, as well as the timeline for its transposition into national law. You’ll also hear about:
The second Omnibus package from the European Commission targeting environmental rules
If water may take centre stage in corporate sustainability this year, with the planned EU Ocean Act
How debates around the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) may play out this year, including the response both internally in the EU and from the US
The chances of the EU’s Green Claims Directive being revived in 2026
Whether the Global Plastics Treaty might be agreed this year
Marianne and Robert’s main prediction for how sustainability will develop in 2026
Is infinite economic growth compatible with life on a planet with finite resources?
In final episode of Frankly Speaking this year, Richard Howitt was joined by Matt Orsagh, co-founder of the Arketa Institute for Post-Growth Finance and former Senior Director of Capital Markets at the CFA Institute, to confront one of the most controversial questions in sustainability today: is it time to move beyond growth itself?
Together they discussed whether conventional sustainability thinking is no longer enough as well as the Arketa Institute’s latest paper By Disaster or Design. You’ll also hear about:
Why climate action based on green growth and energy efficiency may actually increase total resource use
How Jevons Paradox undermines many well-intentioned sustainability strategies
What the planetary boundaries framework reveals about how close we are to ecological breakdown
Why decoupling growth from emissions is, in Matt’s view, a mathematical impossibility
Matt’s belief that prosperity must be redefined beyond GDP and wealth accumulation
What a post-growth, locally-rooted financial system could look like in practice
Matt’s perspective on the crucial role of imagination in designing a viable future
The Omnibus 1 agreement has finally been signed off – but what happens next?
In this last episode before the Christmas break, Frank Bold’s Senior Policy Officer Julia Otten and Andreas Rasche, Assistant Dean and Professor of Business in Society at Copenhagen Business School, return to the Frankly Speaking podcast, hosted by Richard Howitt, to give their final verdict on what the Omnibus 1 means for the effectiveness of sustainability legislation in the EU.
Together they discussed to what extent the final Omnibus package provides certainty to businesses and broke down the key changes to the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) and Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD). You’ll also hear more about:
How the Omnibus 1 changes may impact businesses in the future – including the risk of facing heavier burdens due to less available information
The significance of the Ombuswoman’s finding of malpractice by the European Commission during this Omnibus 1 process, especially for future simplification packages
The role of the far-right in pushing through the final Omnibus 1 text, and why companies have an obligation to speak out
Whether historians writing on this period may still regard this era of simplification as a step forward, not a step back
Julia and Andreas’s advice to companies on what they should do now the final Omnibus 1 package has been concluded
Against the backdrop of the final Omnibus agreement emerging from trilogues, what will continued US political and corporate pressure mean for the future of EU environmental and human rights due diligence legislation?
In this episode of the Frankly Speaking podcast, Richard Howitt was joined by Abrial Gilbert-d'Halluin, Policy Advisor for MEP Raden Kanev and original parliamentary sherpa for the Corporate Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD), and Professor Michael Mehling, Deputy Director of the Centre for Energy and Environmental Policy Research at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
Together they discussed the principle of extraterritoriality in the EU’s CSDDD legislation, and why it’s seen such unprecedented pushback from both politicians and businesses in the United States lobbying against the directive. You’ll also hear more about:
Why the CSDDD’s extra-territorial reach is so important in limiting environmental and human rights abuses across global value chains
The US perspective on EU sustainability and due diligence rules, and why both sides of the American political spectrum take issue with external corporate regulation (including the Clinton administration back in the 1990s)
How the US is responding to the EU Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), including the showdown between the ‘Brussels vs Trump effect’
The crucial role of sovereignty in discussions on external regulation
The vague wording of the EU-US trade deal on the CSDDD, and what it means for the effectiveness of the directive’s extraterritoriality principle
How US corporates are doing on environmental and human rights due diligence
What makes Michael and Abrial optimistic for the future of corporate accountability globally
How can companies carry out effective human rights due diligence?
In this episode of the Frankly Speaking podcast, Richard Howitt was joined by Niklas Wehner, Director of Corporate Responsibility International for ALDI South Group, which has over 7,500 stores across eleven countries and employs over 200,000 people.
Together they discussed ALDI South Group’s approach to human rights due diligence, and how it has been complying with the German Supply Chain Act. You’ll also hear more about:
How ALDI South Group has adopted the role as the trusted mediator between local producers and suppliers in disputes, and examples of it how it has achieved remediation for workers in its global supply chain
Why the company sees great potential in the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive to harmonise standards and prevent the fragmentation of national laws within the EU
ALDI South Group’s perspective on the Omnibus 1 proposals currently being debated in trilogues
Niklas’s verdict on what the Omnibus will mean for the future of corporate human rights due diligence globally
Is the world on track to achieving living wages?
In this episode of the Frankly Speaking podcast, Richard Howitt was joined by Petter Forslund, Engagement Manager at AP2, Sweden’s second national pension fund, and Steering Committee Member of the Platform Living Wage Financials, an investor coalition that supports companies in providing living wages in global supply chains.
Together they assessed to what extent there has been global improvement in firms paying a living wage, as well as why investors should help to drive social standards in companies and their supply chains. You’ll also hear more about:
The Platform Living Wage Financials' Benchmark on company performance on living wages, including its main findings
How the Platform prioritises dialogue when engaging with companies, only using divestment as the final option
The reasons behind the ongoing need for changes in methodology around the living wage
The weaknesses in the social auditing process, and how the Platform is working to improve it
The issue of adequate wages in the revised European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS), and how it discriminates against non-EU workers
The Sweden perspective on the debate on sustainability and fiduciary duty
Right from the beginning of the Omnibus 1 debate, European policy-makers have repeatedly framed human rights due diligence as a huge barrier to competitiveness. But does this actually reflect the reality?
In this episode of the Frankly Speaking podcast, Richard Howitt was joined by Dr Siniša Milatović, Programme Manager at UNDP and Olena Uvarova, UNDP Business and Human Rights Specialist as well as Associate Professor at Yaroslav Mudryi National Law University in Ukraine.
Together they explained the key findings of their recently released report “Human Rights vs Competitiveness – A False Dilemma?”, which is the first research that finds evidence showing that respect for human rights is good for business. You’ll also hear more about:
The report’s key takeaway that stronger human rights performance increased corporate efficiency, leader to tangible economic benefits
The robust methodology behind the report, based on the Corporate Human Rights Benchmark (CHRB)
The research’s finding that investors did not punish firms for improved human rights performance, contrary to popular belief
Siniša and Olena’s message to European policymakers negotiating the Omnibus proposals
How business and human rights have been developing in Ukraine during wartime
What progress has been made so far in heavy industry’s journey towards net zero, and what more needs to be done to aid them in their transformation?
In this episode of the Frankly Speaking podcast, Richard Howitt was joined by Jiří Mravec, Head of Innovation and Transformation at Třinecké železárny (Třinec Iron and Steelworks) and Antonín Šámal, Research Fellow at the thinktank Association for International Affairs (AMO Klima).
Together they assessed the European Commission’s Clean Industrial Deal and whether businesses are receiving enough support in their transition to low carbon. You’ll also hear more about:
The four key conditions needed for the steel industry to be able to successfully decarbonise
The impact that the Trump administration’s tariffs on steel has had on Třinec Steelworks
The role of member state implementation in the Clean Industrial Deal, and why it’s holding back progress on decarbonisation in the EU
To what extent technological innovation will be required in order for heavy industries such as cement production and the chemicals industry to reach net zero emissions
How important carbon capture and storage and green hydrogen is in Třinec’s decarbonisation strategy
What a steelmaking company make look like in the year 2050
Why is Thailand determined to be the first government in Asia to pass a mandatory human rights due diligence law for companies, and what are the implications for the rest of the world?
In this episode of the Frankly Speaking podcast, Richard Howitt was joined by Nareeluc Pairchaiyapoom, Director of the International Human Rights Division at Thailand’s Ministry of Justice.
Together they discussed how responsible business has evolved in Thailand over the past decade, including the country’s two National Actional Plans on Business and Human Rights. You’ll also hear more about:
The impact that the pushback against human rights and environmental due diligence in the US and the EU is having on progress in Thailand
Why the Thai government sees stronger corporate human rights legislation as part of its journey towards gaining OECD membership and becoming a fully developed country
How the Thailand's first and second National Action Plans (NAPs) have been received by Thai companies
Nareeluc’s greatest takeaway from her work on advancing corporate accountability
What is product-level reporting, and how could it improve the quality and reliability of corporate sustainability disclosures?
In this episode of the Frankly Speaking podcast, Richard Howitt was joined by Brian Hill, Academic Director of the Inclusive Economy Center in Sustainability and Organisations Institute at HEC Paris, and Research Director at the French National Centre for Scientific Research, CNRS.
Together they explored the latest study from HEC Paris on product-level disclosures, and how it could transform how companies report on their sustainability plans. You’ll also hear more about:
Amid all the noise and confusion around the future of corporate sustainability reporting due to the Omnibus modifications, what does the research actually tell us about the effectiveness of the EU’s sustainability legislation?
The answer: the CSRD is working, and it's already driving meaningful change in practice – that's the key message from our latest report into 100 company disclosures according to the directive.
In this episode of the Frankly Speaking podcast, Richard Howitt was joined by Frank Bold experts Lorena Bisignano and Louis Establet who co-authored the study “Delivering on Sustainability: Evidence from the first year of CSRD implementation.”
Together they revealed key insights from the performance record of 100 company disclosures across Western and Eastern Europe according to the CSRD and gave their advice to policymakers on how to best support companies in their sustainability reporting journey. You’ll also hear more about:
Double materiality having now become a standard analytical lens for companies
How companies are performing on climate transition plans
To what extent comparability between different company reports has improved compared to previous years
The weaknesses in companies’ approach to sustainability governance, and advice on how to improve
Which sector performed best in class, and which topic companies struggled the most to report on
Today, the JURI committee of the European Parliament will be voting on the Omnibus 1 proposal. What does this proposal mean for the future of corporate sustainability reporting?
In this episode of the Frankly Speaking podcast, Richard Howitt was joined by Julia Otten, Senior Policy Officer at Frank Bold and Andreas Rasche, Assistant Dean and Professor of Business in Society at Copenhagen Business School.
Together they broke down the implications of the Omnibus 1 text being voted on today and explained what we can expect from the upcoming trialogues and Danish Presidency of the Council. You’ll also hear more about:
How the proposal being voted on today excludes 90% of companies from the scope of the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive, representing two-thirds fewer companies than those included in the 2014 Non-Financial Reporting Directive
Why this Omnibus proposal no longer represents simplification but full-blown deregulation (as admitted by Commission President Ursula von der Leyen herself last week)
How the developments of the past week carry serious consequences not only for sustainability but also the future of democratic decision-making in the EU
Whether the objectives of the EU Green Deal are still alive
Julia and Andreas’s message to businesses at this critical moment in the Omnibus process, especially to those who will now be out of scope
What are the new B Corps standards, and what impact will they have on the future of responsible business?
In this episode of the Frankly Speaking podcast, Richard Howitt was joined by Bernard Gouw, Senior Social Standards Manager at B Lab Global, and founder of the natural skincare brand Beauty Kitchen, Jo Chidley.
Together they explained how the new B Corps standards differ from the previous ones, and where B Lab sits within the broader certification landscape. You’ll also hear more about:
The significant emphasis the new standards place on stakeholder governance
B Corp’s latest milestone of encompassing 10,000 companies employing over one million workers
How Beauty Kitchen developed a returnable packaging system to meet the standard’s environmental requirements against single-use, plastic packaging
How the EU’s Empowering Consumers Directive will affect B Corps, especially regarding third-party verifications or audits
The impact that big corporations becoming B-Corps has on the overall movement
Why the ESG backlash hasn’t been felt as harshly within the B Corps movement
Have the new revisions to the European Sustainability Reporting Standards gone too far, or not far enough?
That’s exactly what we discussed in this episode of the Frankly Speaking podcast, in which Richard Howitt was joined by EFRAG TEG members Sandra Atler, also Director of Human Rights & Business Practice at Enact Sustainable Strategies and Signe Lysgaard, also Chief Advisor on Business & Human Rights at the Danish Institute for Human Rights.
🎙 Together they unpacked the new simplified EU sustainability reporting standards (ESRS) and what they mean for companies. You’ll also hear more about:
The obsession with cutting down data points, and whether this really reduces the reporting burden
How the double materiality assessment has changed compared to the old ESRS
How closely the new standards align with global IFRS standards
The issue of adequate wages, and why it still needs to be resolved
How the new ESRS impact the ongoing Omnibus process
What is the relationship between culture and corporate responsibility? How do various social mores and traditions influence how various countries view business and human rights? And what can different nations learn from each other on their sustainability journey?
This week on the Frankly Speaking podcast, Richard Howitt was joined by Akiko Sato, Business and Human Rights Project Officer at the United Nations Development Programme and Special Adviser at the NGO Pillar Two to explore the state of responsible business in Japan, from the Edo dynasty to today.
Together they discussed the Japanese government’s human rights supply chain due diligence guidelines, as well as how companies in Japan have been responding. You’ll also hear more about:
Japan’s leadership in climate disclosure through a record number of signatories to the Taskforce on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD)
The growing momentum across Asia on corporate accountability, with Thailand, South Korea, and Indonesia developing mandatory human rights due diligence laws
The traditional Japanese concept of Sanpo-yoshi, meaning “good for the seller, good for the buyer, and good for society
The role culture plays in shaping how Japanese companies are conducting sustainability reporting and human rights due diligence
Why gender inequality is one of Japan’s biggest human rights challenges, with Japan ranking among the lowest in the G7 on the gender gap index
How Japanese companies have been reacting to the EU’s Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive as well as the recent Omnibus proposals
Akiko’s insights into the lessons the world can take from Japan’s sustainability journey
Last week, the 2025 Global Sustainability Leadership survey was released, providing key insights into the views of nearly 850 sustainability professionals across the world, and building upon the survey’s decades-long research, the first results having been published back in 1997. With the current state of sustainability “at a crossroads,” what do sustainability experts believe is the best route forward?
This week on the Frankly Speaking podcast, Richard Howitt was joined by Chris Coulter, CEO of Globescan and Mark Lee, Global Director of Thought Leadership at the SustainAbility Institute by ERM, who jointly produced this year’s Global Sustainability Leadership Survey alongside the UK consultancy Volans.
Together they discussed the main findings of the survey, and what it tells us about the ESG backlash globally. You’ll also hear more about:
How businesses across the world have been responding to the backlash against sustainability
Whether or not the 2030 climate target has failed
Why investors ranked their lowest ever score on their contribution to sustainable development
The regional variability in attitudes towards sustainability, and whether it’s time to pass on the torch of global sustainability leadership to the Asia Pacific
The high impact, high feasibility actions that survey respondents believe can be achieved in the next five years
The opportunities that can arise out of this current crisis in sustainability, and the choice facing governments and businesses in this critical inflection point for the field
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Last year, the Ethical Trading Initiative (ETI), a leading alliance of trade unions, NGOS and businesses working to bring about the end of corporate human rights abuse, released its Corporate Transparency Framework detailing the reporting requirements for their company members. With the results of ETI’s member transparency assessment now out, how have companies performed against the standards?
This week on the Frankly Speaking podcast, Richard Howitt was joined by Kate Lewis, ETI’s Head of Membership and Francesca Mangano, Head of CSR and Sustainability at TFG London, a leading South African fashion retailer with a network of 570 stories across 13 countries.
Together they discussed TFG London’s experience in meeting the ETI Corporate Transparency Framework requirements, as well as the barriers they faced and lessons they learnt on the way. You’ll also hear more about:
Why ETI champions meaningful stakeholder engagement in their fight against corporate human rights abuses, and why top-down approaches don’t work
Practical examples of how TFG London’s work with ETI has led to improved welfare for workers across their supply chain
How commercially beneficial implementing supply chain due diligence has been to TFG London
Kate and Francesca’s perspective on the European Commission’s Omnibus 1 proposals on the CSRD and CSDDD, including TFG London’s disappointment in not being in scope of the legislation
TFG London’s work with Anti-Slavery International on the Coalition to End Forced Labour in the Uyghur Region
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Central and Eastern European countries are often described as being the laggards in the EU’s sustainability transformation. But is this actually true?
This week on the Frankly Speaking podcast, Richard Howitt was joined by Tsvetelina Kuzmanova, Sustainable Finance Policy Lead at the Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership, which gathers leaders and innovators across business, finance and government to work together for a sustainable future.
Together they discussed how the Polish Presidency of the Council of the European Union responded to the Commission’s Omnibus proposals, and specifically the proposed changes to the EU Taxonomy. You’ll also hear more about:
Key takeaways from the recent Green Transition Forum in Sofia, Bulgaria
How CISL calculates its Sustainable Competitiveness Index
The best and worst case scenario for the future of sustainable finance over the next four years
The project to turn the Trakia Economic Zone in Plovdiv, Bulgaria into the EU’s first carbon-neutral industrial park
Why Tsvetelina believes sustainability and competitiveness are in fact the same thing
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How is the sustainability transformation unfolding in France?
This week on the Frankly Speaking podcast, Richard Howitt was joined by Sébastien Mandron, Board Member of C3D, an association of more than 400 chief sustainability officers.
Together they discussed Worldline Global’s experience of producing their first CSRD report, and the company’s reaction to French President Macron coming out against the CSDDD despite France having been the first European country to implement its own human rights due diligence law, ‘le devoir de diligence’. You’ll also hear more about:
Why the company believes regulation is vital in achieving the green transition
How the recent UN Oceans Conference in Nice earlier this month demonstrates that companies will continue being asked to provide answers on their sustainability transformation
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The history of corporate human rights abuse is as old as the history of corporations themselves, and yet our understanding of business and human rights has only evolved significantly over the last five decades. The concept of corporate accountability is now widely known, whereas only 20-30 years ago, companies often refused to accept responsibility for the inhumane conditions or practices found in factories producing their products. But how did this understanding evolve, and what progress remains to be achieved?
This week on the Frankly Speaking podcast, Richard Howitt was joined by Michael H. Posner, Director of the NYU Stern Center for Business and Human Rights, the first ever human rights centre at a business school.
Together they discussed Michael’s latest book ‘Conscience Incorporated: Pursue Profits While Protecting Human Rights’ which weaves together his decades of legal experience working with companies from Nike, Adidas, Microsoft and many others to put the case for a genuine change in business attitude and practice on corporate human rights. You’ll also hear more about:
How the Coca-Cola company scandal in the 1980s marked a great step in the history of corporate accountability
Global lessons learned from the 2013 Rana Plaza tragedy
Michael’s work to improve the awful conditions in which Apple iPhones were being produced in Shenzhen, China in the 2010s
Facebook’s role in spreading hate speech in Myanmar
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