Communication as part of corporate responsibility

When responsibility is an integral part of a company’s business, you can communicate your own climate actions openly and transparently. This increases credibility and creates a competitive advantage. Responsibility communications are guided by several different international policies and domestic rules.

The EU Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), which enters into force in 2024, creates a framework for corporate sustainability reporting, i.e. how companies should report on environmental, social and economic responsibility in the future. Alongside financial reporting, these report on companies’ non-financial performance, helping investors, customers and other stakeholders to gain deeper and more comparable insights into the company’s business.

Responding to the climate responsibility requirements of the Sustainability Reporting Directive

Nordic Offset’s carbon footprint calculation complies with the greenhouse gas emission protocol’s calculation standards. This ensures the results are directly in line with the reporting obligations of the EU Sustainability Reporting Directive (E1–6). Nordic Offset’s carbon footprint calculation service includes the identification of emissions reduction measures and related proposals for reducing emissions. We also implement the planning of emissions reduction targets in accordance with the Science Based Targets initiative and the Paris Agreement, so that your company’s climate responsibility work is in line with the requirements of the Sustainability Reporting Directive E1–4.

In particular, we help our clients produce high-quality emissions data for sustainability communications and support the designing of the right kind of message. We also consult with our clients on the interpretation and application of the Sustainability Communications Guidelines and the Sustainability Reporting Directive.

In addition, our experts have ESG analysis experience from across the board, so we can tailor our services to support the requirements of standards related to social responsibility and sustainable governance if necessary.

Want to hear more about the obligations under the Sustainability Reporting Directive? Get in touch with our experienced professionals to discuss the right solutions for your business.

Take control of climate communication

In addition to sustainability reporting, content requirements also apply to the company’s other sustainability communications.

In 2023, the European Commission drafted a new Green Claims legislative initiative aimed at eradicating the use of unfounded environmental and climate claims in marketing. Such claims include carbon neutrality or climate friendliness. Based on the legislative initiative, the Ministry of the Environment and the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry have published a guide on best practices in the voluntary carbon market in Finland, including guidelines for the use of the right carbon neutrality claims. In Finland, the use of claims is supervised by the Finnish Competition and Consumer Authority.

Nordic Offset continuously monitors the development of legislation and guidelines regarding these claims. In our assignments, we strictly adhere to the most stringent latest criteria and industry guidelines. All our assignments include support for responsibility communication, in which we help our clients formulate the right message and use the statements correctly.

The starting point for the use of claims is that they must be based on researched and verified information, and these grounds must be transparently explained in connection with the message. The Nordic Offset service includes all the climate work stages recommended by the Ministry of the Environment and the guide published by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, which are as follows:

  1. Comprehensive and reliable calculation of the company’s emissions, including Scopes 1, 2 and 3 (read more about carbon footprint calculation here)
  2. Prioritisation of the company’s emission reductions, climate target and climate roadmap
  3. Use of high-quality carbon credits to offset emissions
  4. Applying good marketing practices and using credible climate claims in communications
  5. Transparent, understandable and sufficiently detailed reporting

Want to know more about responsible communication? Get in touch with our experienced professionals to discuss the right solutions for your business.