Complex CSRD and sustainability terminology explained
Stakeholders are individuals or groups who can be affected by or affect a project. There are two main groups: affected stakeholders and users of sustainability statements, including investors, creditors, business partners, and civil society. Some stakeholders may belong to both groups.
Chemical elements and their compounds, excluding radioactive substances, genetically modified micro-organisms, and genetically modified organisms released into the environment.
Chemicals that meet specific requirements outlined in the REACH regulation and have been identified as such.
A substance that meets certain criteria and is classified as hazardous in various ways, including being carcinogenic, mutagenic, toxic to the environment, or harmful to human health. It may also negatively impact material re-use and recycling.
A supplier is a company that provides products or services to an organization, either directly or indirectly through the organization's supply chain, for the development of its own products or services.
Upstream activities refer to the processes and activities conducted by entities that supply products or services to a company. This includes both direct and indirect relationships with suppliers.
Key requirement under the EUDR which ensures that each relevant commodity must be traceable back to its source.
Inland waters, transitional waters, and coastal waters are included in the definition, except for groundwater. However, when considering chemical status, territorial waters are also included.
ESG factors, which include sustainability factors as defined in EU Regulation 2019/2088, encompass environmental, social, human rights, and governance considerations.
This section of the management report presents information on sustainability matters, following the guidelines of Directive 2013/34/EU and the ESRS.
The impact of an activity or business on the environment and people, including their human rights. It can be positive or negative, short or long-term, intended or unintended, and reversible or irreversible, and shows the contribution to sustainable development.
Sustainability-related opportunities refer to uncertain events or conditions that could have a positive impact on a company's business model, strategy, goals, and value creation. These opportunities are assessed based on their potential impact and likelihood of occurring.
Sustainability-related risks refer to uncertain events or conditions that could negatively impact a company's business model, strategy, goals, and ability to create value. These risks influence decision-making and business relationships, and are determined by the magnitude and probability of their impact.
Systemic risks are failures of the entire system, not just individual parts. They occur when small tipping points combine to cause large failures, with cascading effects and the inability to recover after a shock. An example is the loss of keystone species like sea otters, which disrupts ecosystem structure and reduces biomass production.
The Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) is an initiative established by the Financial Stability Board (FSB) in 2015.
The TNFD is an emerging initiative that aims to develop a framework similar to the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD), but specifically focused on nature-related risks and opportunities.
Targets are specific, time-limited goals that a company or organization sets to address material impacts, risks, or opportunities. They can be voluntary or legally required.
The Global Reporting Initiative is an independent international organization that has developed a widely used framework for sustainability reporting.
Species at risk of extinction, both plants and animals, that are included in the European Red List or the IUCN Red List, as mentioned in Section 7 of Annex II to Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2021/2139.
Efforts implemented by an organization to enhance the abilities and knowledge of its employees, which may involve various approaches like in-person and virtual training.
A targeted plan adopted by a company to achieve a public policy goal or address specific actions related to a strategic decision, business model change, or important actions and resources allocation.
Transition plan: A strategic framework that outlines an organization's goals, actions, and resources for moving towards a low-carbon economy. It includes measures like reducing greenhouse gas emissions to limit global warming to 1.5°C and achieving climate neutrality.
Transition risks refer to the potential dangers faced by organizations or investors when their strategies and management do not align with the evolving regulatory, policy, or societal landscape. These risks can arise from various factors, including government actions, technological advancements, market shifts, legal disputes, and shifting consumer preferences, all aimed at addressing climate and environmental concerns.
Primary users of sustainability statements include investors, lenders, creditors, asset managers, insurance companies, business partners, trade unions, civil society organizations, governments, analysts, and academics.
VSME stands for Voluntary Sustainability Reporting Standard for SMEs. It is a simplified EU reporting framework developed by EFRAG for small and medium-sized enterprises.
A value chain refers to all the activities, resources, and relationships involved in a business's operations and external environment. This includes everything from production to distribution and the various actors involved, such as suppliers and customers.
Workers in the value chain of a company, including those impacted by the company's operations, products, and business relationships. This does not include employees or self-employed individuals, but encompasses all other workers in the value chain.
Base wage, not including additional earnings like overtime and bonuses, and not including allowances unless they are assured.
Waste refers to any material that is thrown away or planned to be thrown away, including both solid and liquid substances.
The priority order for waste prevention and management is: prevention, preparing for re-use, recycling, other recovery (such as energy recovery), and disposal.
Waste management refers to the overall process of collecting, transporting, recovering, and disposing of waste, as well as overseeing these operations and ensuring the proper care of disposal sites. It also includes activities as a dealer or broker.
Wastewater refers to water that is no longer useful for its intended purpose due to quality, quantity, or timing. It can be reused by another user, but cooling water is not classified as wastewater.
Water and wastewater that is reused or recycled within a facility or shared with other undertakings to reduce water demand and minimize discharge. Can be used in the same process or different processes within the same facility or other facilities of the undertaking.
Water intake refers to the amount of water taken in by a facility or project that is not released back into the environment or given to another party during a specific reporting period.
The total amount of water and waste that an organization releases to surface water, groundwater, or third parties during a specific time period.
Water intensity is a measure of the amount of water used per unit of activity, such as production or sales. It quantifies the relationship between water volume and business operations.
Water scarcity refers to the lack of freshwater resources relative to human water consumption. It is a physical reality that can be measured consistently across regions and over time, regardless of water quality.
Total water intake for any purpose within a specific time frame, including all sources, within the project's boundaries.
Work-life balance refers to the satisfactory balance between work and personal life, including family and care responsibilities, as well as time allocation between work and personal life beyond family responsibilities.
Work-related hazards include physical, ergonomic, chemical, biological, psychosocial, and work-organization factors that can negatively impact workers' health and safety, such as radiation, temperature extremes, exposure to harmful substances, and workplace violence.
An incident is a work-related occurrence that can cause injury or illness, such as electrical problems, explosions, fires, or workplace violence. If an injury or illness occurs, it is called an accident, while a close call refers to a potential incident without actual harm.
Workers' representatives are trade union representatives or elected representatives who are freely elected by workers and not controlled by the employer. They must not undermine trade unions and their functions should not overlap with those of trade unions.