Palau Project

How does a global shipping giant like Maersk tackle climate risks, emissions, and sustainability challenges? In our latest case study, ESG expert Matthieu Bilaine takes a deep dive into Maersk’s Sustainability Strategy from their latest annual report- what’s working and where they could do better. From climate targets to green fuels and supply chain risks, there’s a lot to unpack. Want to check it out? Sign up for our ESG community to access the case study and join the discussion. Link in the comments.

A proposal has landed..... CSRD is delayed by 2 years. At least the threshold for turnover remained 🫠 ❗ Reduced Scope of Reporting: • 80% reduction in mandatory reporting. • Out of scope: Large undertakings (<1000 employees) and all listed SMEs. • In scope: Large companies (>1000 employees) with turnover > EUR 50M or balance sheet > EUR 25M. ❓ Voluntary reporting option: • Based on VSME standard by EFRAG. • Delegated act for voluntary reporting. • Recommendation to be issued to address market demand. ❗ Fixed assurance requirements: • No shift from limited to reasonable assurance. • Guidelines by 2026 for targeted assurance. ❗ “Opt-In” Taxonomy Reporting: • Large companies (<EUR 450M turnover) can choose to report Taxonomy KPIs. • No compliance cost for those not aligned with Taxonomy. ❗ ESRS standards revision: • Fewer mandatory data points. • Focus on quantitative data. • Clearer materiality guidance. • Alignment with global standards. ❌ Postponement of reporting deadlines: • Two-year delay for: • Second wave: Large non-PIEs (>500 employees). • Third wave: Listed SMEs and small institutions.

Another day, another step towards making sustainability reporting smoother. Yesterday, we shared how our AI Datapoint Helper makes it easier to navigate ESRS disclosures. Today, we want to introduce another feature we’ve just released - Numeric Datapoints. Now, numeric values can be entered in a structured format with predefined units, ensuring consistency and accuracy. This helps make reporting more precise, better organized, and easier to manage. We believe in transparency, you don’t have to take our word for it. Take a trial, explore the platform, and we will help you visualize how it can fit your workflow. Whether you’re a consultancy or a company handling reporting in-house, we’ve built this to work for you. We’re confident you’ll find it valuable. Sign up now and experience it first hand. The link is in the comments.

What’s the easiest way to simplify CSRD reporting compliance and save time? We’re introducing AI Datapoint Helper to make sustainability reporting smoother. Palau’s ESG expert, Maria Tymtsias, now supports you through an AI assistant available for each data point on Palau’s ESG reporting platform. It answers disclosure related questions and specific information to help you navigate reporting with confidence. We’re a cost-efficient, hands-on team that works with you from day one to ensure a smooth and effective reporting process. Ready to get started? Sign up now for your free trial, click the link in the comments.

Some conversations stick with you. Yesterday, we had an insightful coffee chat with Philippe Diaz, a key contributor to ESRS E4 on biodiversity and a member of EFRAG’s Sustainability Reporting Technical Expert Group. It was a discussion that made us rethink a lot. Key learnings from our discussion on biodiversity disclosures were: • Biodiversity is often misunderstood - companies struggle to move beyond symbolic actions, sometimes even featuring beehives in reports, instead of addressing real ecosystem impacts. • Regulatory pressure is increasing, but integrating biodiversity into materiality assessments remains a challenge. Companies must prepare for deeper disclosures as frameworks evolve. • Biodiversity risk is about business resilience, not just compliance. Organizations that fail to assess their nature related dependencies, risk financial and operational instability. • Future standards like TNFD will be crucial, helping businesses better report and manage biodiversity risks. We learned so much that we’re planning to organize key insights into a case study soon. If you missed the webinar and want to watch the recording, get access to our our ESG community—a dedicated space to learn, share, and discuss sustainability topics with peers and experts. The link is in the comments.

We’re continuing our DMA deep-dive marathon, this time critically evaluating Pandora Group’s Double Materiality Assessment from their latest annual report. Interested in a thorough analysis of how a global jewelry leader approaches Double Materiality? Join our ESG community to access this case study and a dedicated space to explore and discuss ESG insights. (Link in the comments)

Do check out our first-of-its-kind space to comment and review all the latest sustainability statements. Share your reflections freely and learn from the collective wisdom of 350+ ESG practitioners. Don’t miss the chance to shape the conversation with the power of community. Find the link in the comments and start engaging!

Here is a list of 13 freshly published compliant ESRS sustainability statements: 1. Tryg (Insurance) https://lnkd.in/dSEhQKfW 2. Netcompany (IT Services) https://lnkd.in/dhXDUmq9 3. DSV - Global Transport and Logistics (Transportation) https://lnkd.in/dv39htK5 4. Novo Nordisk (Healthcare) https://lnkd.in/dT5grYBn 5. Demant (Healthcare) https://lnkd.in/dWrhtcFm 6. Vestas (Renewable Energy) https://lnkd.in/dKwCHA_T 7. Lundbeck (Pharmaceutical Manufacturing) https://lnkd.in/d6_kWiV2 8. Pandora (Jewelry) https://lnkd.in/dtfVHHqt 9. TomTom (IT Services and Consulting) https://lnkd.in/dHvEDRh8 10. Ringkjøbing Landbobank A/S(Banking) https://lnkd.in/dFfH9QDe 11. Nykredit (Financial Services) https://lnkd.in/dwaAiKC9 12. Nykredit Realkredit (Mortgage Services) https://lnkd.in/dMYzKcrS 13. Spar Nord (Banking) https://lnkd.in/drBGnzBh If you don't want to miss our case studies analyzing these companies' sustainability statements, join our Palau Project ESG Community: https://lnkd.in/d7VEAd2Z

Want to see the most good-looking, fully transparent demo of a CSRD solution, covering every detail, with no hiding, and no empty promises? And what if I told you… you can test it yourself, free for 30 days? I know the omnibus discussions have you feeling stuck. But trust me, while everyone waits for changes, months of valuable CSRD prep time are slipping away. At Palau Project, we’re tracking every update closely and will adapt fast to any regulatory shifts. And there’s more—this month, we’re rolling out new AI features designed to save you tons of time on your sustainability statement. The link to a free trial is in the comments.

If simplifying CSRD is a MUST by the European Commission, here’s what I would suggest: 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗱𝗼: • 𝗖𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗶𝘁 𝗖𝗦𝗥𝗗 𝗼𝗿 𝗘𝗦𝗥𝗦 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗯𝗼𝘁𝗵. (Yes, they’re different, but nobody cares.) It’s unnecessary overcomplication.    • 𝗥𝗲𝗺𝗼𝘃𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗱𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗮𝗽𝗼𝗶𝗻𝘁𝘀. Too many refer to the same thing (PAT). Simplify or make a clearer referring system.    • 𝗕𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗰𝗹𝗮𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗸 𝘁𝗼 𝗶𝘁. Should companies use the Datapoint List as the structure, or the XBRL tagging structure? Some experts say the Datapoint List isn’t the final result, yet there’s no clear guidance on what the XBRL tagging structure should look like. Make this LOUD and clear—confusion benefits no one.    • 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗿𝗱𝗶𝘇𝗲 𝗮𝘂𝗱𝗶𝘁𝘀. Create a 10-pager on how CSRD audits should be done. It’s ridiculous that auditors have completely different approaches. Make it straightforward, use actual words, and leave no room for interpretation. This would reduce stress for companies by 10x.    • 𝗦𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗰𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿, 𝘂𝘀𝗲𝗳𝘂𝗹 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗰𝗲𝘀. Provide clear examples of IROs and sector-specific sustainability matters. Yes, interpretation will always be part of the process, but give companies a clear starting point.    • 𝗚𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝘂𝘀 𝗮 𝗰𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝗖𝗦𝗥𝗗 𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗲𝘅𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲. Stop leaving so much open for interpretation. Financial reports are crystal clear—CSRD reports should be the same. If you expect companies to deliver, show them exactly what you want. 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗱𝗼: • 𝗗𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗱. Many companies are already on board, and we’re finally seeing boardrooms/leadership get involved in sustainability. Keep it manageable but mandatory to bring valuable sustainability data into the market as quick as possible. • 𝗗𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝘄𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗲 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴. Stop the bureaucratic delays. Stick to being straightforward, make a decision now, and move forward. • 𝗗𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝘁𝗮𝗴𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴. Without tagging, we might as well go back to GRI and voluntary reporting. If the data isn’t usable with today’s technology, what’s the point? Some days, it feels like CSRD was designed by consultants trying to bring more cash into their business models by keeping things unclear. Other days, I see the potential: structured data, one norm across Europe, and boardroom engagement driven by compliance. CSRD can be a game-changer—if we don’t mess it up. Please, let’s not.