In this episode, we speak with Marco Zwick and Shaneera Rasqué from the Commission de Surveillance du Secteur Financier (CSSF), the financial supervisory authority in Luxembourg. Marco Zwick is the Director of the CSSF since 2018, and Shaneera Rasqué is Head of Regulatory Projects and Sustainable Finance.

We discuss sustainable finance from a supervisor’s perspective – why it matters and how supervision can support investors and other financial market participants. We explore what the latest regulatory developments in the EU, especially the review of the Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation (SFDR) and the Omnibus I directive, mean for transparency, and dive deeper into ESMA’s Common Supervisory Action on sustainability risks and disclosures.

Music:

"Pamgaea"by Kevin MacLeod (⁠https://incompetech.com⁠)

Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0

⁠http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

In this episode, we speak with Nathalie Dogniez, Chair ofEurosif, and Matt Christensen, Global Head of Sustainable and Impact Investing at AllianzGI.

Based on Eurosif’s report “EU Sustainable Finance: a competitive advantage for a resilient Europe,” we discuss how sustainable finance is strengthening economy in a challenging political environment. The conversation explores investor appetite, the role of EU rules such as the CSRD/ESRS, SFDR, and EU Taxonomy, and how tools like green bonds and sustainability standards are already improving transparency, risk management, and access to capital. We also highlight why regulatory stability is essential for helping businesses and investors play their role in the transition to a low-carbon economy.

Read Eurosif's report here: https://www.eurosif.org/news/eu-sustainable-finance-a-competitive-advantage-for-a-resilient-europe/

Music: Pamgaea by KevinMacLeod

- Free download

- Licence CC BY 3.0

- Artist website

In this episode, Eurosif Chair Nathalie Dogniez is joined byHélène Bussières, Head of the Asset Management Unit at the European Commission’s DG FISMA, to unpack the European Commission’s long-awaited proposal to review the Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation (SFDR).

The discussion explores why the SFDR is being overhauled,the key changes proposed by the Commission, and what they mean in practice for investors. From the introduction of new categories of sustainability-related products and the future of the “sustainable investment” concept, to changes in disclosures on adverse impacts (PAIs) and Taxonomy alignment, entity-level reporting and scope, this episode provides a clear overview of one of the most consequential files in EU sustainable finance.

The conversation also looks ahead to how the new frameworkwill interact with national labels and other EU rules, and what investors can expect in terms of legislative next steps and implementation timelines.

Music:

"Pamgaea" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

In this episode, we speak with Dr. Riyong Kim, Head of Sustainability at the European Environment Agency (EEA).

Drawing on the EEA’s flagship report “Europe’s Environment2025”, our conversation explores the current state of Europe’s environment, from serious challenges to areas of real progress, and what these findings mean for the continent’s sustainability trajectory and economy.

We focus of the episode is Europe’s persistent biodiversity investment gap. Despite over €50 billion being allocated annually, funding remains insufficient, with an estimated €21 billion still needed each year to meet the EU’s 2030 biodiversity objectives. We examine investment obstacles and discuss how we can close the gap through public and private financing, including better data availability, improved value metrics, and stronger policy coherence.

Music:

"Pamgaea" by Kevin MacLeod (⁠https://incompetech.com⁠)

Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0⁠http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/⁠

In this episode of Sustainability Bridges, we were joined by special guests Eric Pedersen, Head of Responsible Investments at Nordea Asset Management, and Elise Cachin, Head of Tech Policy and Regulatory Affairs at Nokia.

During the discussion, Elise and Eric exchanged viewson the EU’s sustainable finance framework,the Omnibus initiative, and why competitiveness and sustainability are two sides of the same coin.

Key insights from their discussion include:

• Simplification should not come between the needs of investors and companies for reliable and comparable data.
• Lowering both the scope for and the amount of reporting requirements risks reducing transparency. For the companies out of scope, this could exclude them from sustainable investment.
• Climate Transition Plans are vital: they create accountability, open new business opportunities, and help align supply chains towards net zero.
• The first wave of CSRD reporting has beenresource-intensive but has driven internalimprovements in sustainability management.

Music:

"Pamgaea" by Kevin MacLeod (⁠⁠https://incompetech.com⁠⁠)

Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0⁠⁠http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/⁠⁠

In this episode of Sustainability Bridges, we are joined by special guest Professor Thorsten Sellhorn, Director of the Institute for Accounting, Auditing and Analysis at the Munich School of Management, part of the Ludwig-Maximilian-University of Munich.

During the episode, Professor Sellhorn walks us through the findings of his insightful research that analyses the firstsustainability reports that large companies published in line with the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD). He also details the information and data points available through the Sustainability Reporting Navigator, an AI-driven platform that allows anyone to search through the sustainability reports of over 500 large European companies, of which he is a co-founder.

Professor Sellhorn also gives his expert opinion on the future of the EU Sustainable Finance regulatory framework and theEuropean Commission’s Omnibus simplification proposals, explaining the impact these proposals will have on the corporate reporting landscape and beyond, and how we can simplify without losing substance.

Music:

"Pamgaea" by Kevin MacLeod (⁠⁠https://incompetech.com⁠⁠)

Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0⁠⁠http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/⁠⁠

For this episode of Sustainability Bridges, special guest Nathalie Dogniez, Chair of Eurosif and independent director with more than 30 years’ experience within the financial sector, joins Pierre Garrault, Eurosif’s Senior Policy Adviser, to discuss the perspective of the financial industry on recent and future developments in EU sustainable finance.

As part of the episode, Nathalie gives her view on the European Commission’s proposed omnibus initiative, highlighting that while no regulation or standard is perfect on day one, adjustments and recalibrations should not come at the expense of the ambition of the EU sustainable finance framework. While the first year of reporting under new regulations is always challenging, applying these rules would ultimately facilitate reporting for European companies and provide investors with direct digital access to their financial and non-financial data, giving EU economic actors a significant competitive edge.

Music:

"Pamgaea" by Kevin MacLeod (⁠⁠https://incompetech.com⁠⁠)

Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0⁠⁠http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/⁠⁠

For this episode of #SustainabilityBridges, special guest Patrik Karlsson, Senior Policy Officer at the European Securities and Markets Authority, joins Pierre Garrault, Eurosif’s Senior Policy Adviser, to discuss ESMA’s recent reports and opinions on the Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation (SFDR) and greenwashing.

As part of the episode, Patrik also explains ESMA’s guidelines on fund names that use ESG or sustainability-related terms and details the recent Q&As to clarify their application.

ESMA’s supervisory priorities for 2025 are also covered in depth with Patrik explaining that there will be an intensification of the focus on implementation and supervision of the Sustainable Finance EU regulatory framework. Finally, Pierre and Patrik look ahead to the future of sustainable finance in light of the current political focus on streamlining regulatory requirements.

Music:

"Pamgaea" by Kevin MacLeod (⁠⁠https://incompetech.com⁠⁠)

Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 ⁠⁠http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/⁠⁠