Businesses urge EU action on people and planet

Dear President of the European Commission Ms. Ursula von der Leyen,

On behalf of Ecosia, Natura, Oatly, Patagonia, Tony's Chocolonely and Triodos Bank, we would like to share our vision for a fair and sustainable economy in the next EU mandate. We are at a critical moment for the European Union as we navigate the multiple challenges of climate change, destruction of nature and the green transition.

Our companies believe that business has an urgent, shared responsibility with governments and civil society to contribute to a fairer, regenerative future. We recognize the vital role that policy frameworks and regulatory guidance play in enabling businesses like ours to contribute positively to the green and social transition, in Europe and globally.

As the European Commission begins the new mandate, we urge you to uphold and strengthen the EU’s ambitions in supporting responsible businesses and achieving our collective environmental and social targets.

Specifically, we advocate for:

• Ambitious regulation frameworks
• A European green industrial deal with circularity at its heart
• Effective implementation of the Environmental Crime Directive
• Promotion of sustainable food systems
• Strengthening Corporate Due Diligence and addressing forced labour

1. Ambitious regulation frameworks: We are not in the business of de-regulation. We encourage the European Commission to set bold targets that protect people and planet, particularly for corporate carbon emissions reductions and proper implementation of nature protection laws. The implementation of sustainability regulations suffers from a high administrative burden caused by inconsistent frameworks, variations between member states, and a lack of access to data.
2. A European green industrial deal with circularity at its heart: The Green Deal’s promise to decouple economic growth from resource use requires significant investment into high quality, circular and durable products, manufactured with the utmost respect for humans and the planet. We call on the European Commission to set ambitious and clear ecodesign, recycling and repair standards under a new Circular Economy Act in this mandate and to allow for innovative finance models to support it.
3. Effective implementation of the Environmental Crime Directive: The Directive should criminalise widespread environmental damage comparable to ecocide and steer European businesses towards more sustainable practices, working with rather than against nature, to help protect forests and nature in Europe and across the world.
4. Promotion of sustainable food systems: To reduce the significant impact of the food system on climate change, public health, and food security, we advocate for swift reforms. These include setting science-based targets to reduce emissions and providing support to farmers of all sizes, to enhance resilience and sustainability. We also propose a Sustainable Food Systems Law and a Plant-based Action Plan, while removing outdated regulations and financial mechanisms that hinder the growth of plant-based alternatives. These changes will drive innovation and strengthen food security by creating a more resilient, sustainable system that operates within planetary boundaries.
5. Strengthening corporate due diligence and addressing forced labour: We support the CSDDD as a key step toward responsible global value chains and urge its rapid and effective adoption. We also call on the Commission to do more to address the issue of forced labour, rather than incentivising disengagement. Consistency of the CSDDD with the reporting (CSRD) and finance (CRR, CRD, SFDR) frameworks is crucial to achieve these high ambitions, as well as to support smaller corporates to get on board.

In this final decade for action, Europe’s peace and prosperity will be determined by our ability to tackle the climate and nature crises. We call on you to ensure that the European Union leads the way in creating a resilient economy that benefits both people and the planet. To achieve this, please count on us to be your partners to advocate for more responsible business practices and ambitious regulation to lead us to a fairer, safer and cleaner future.

Yours sincerely,