The importance of sustainability is also increasing in B2B business. Companies not only have to meet regulatory requirements. They also have to take over ecological and social responsibility.
Companies are affected by sustainability at various levels. They must act sustainably themselves. And their customers demand sustainable products and services. Legal requirements provide a binding framework.
Sustainability can be a real competitive advantage. Potential customers select suppliers according to sustainability aspects. In tenders, preference is given to companies that can demonstrate their sustainability. Banks also reward such companies with better credit terms.
How does sustainability influence companies:
Increasing regulatory requirements
Legislators at national and international level are passing more and more stricter environmental and social laws and guidelines. One example is the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD). According to the guidelines of the European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS), the CSRD requires companies to publish a binding sustainability report, the so-called ESG report. This will affect the first companies for fiscal years starting January 1, 2024.
The regulatory requirements are designed to encourage companies to act more sustainably and meet their environmental responsibilities. Among other things, these include
- Regulations to reduce CO2 emissions,
- Improve working conditions,
- Transparent supply chains with the Supply Chain Sourcing Obligations Act (LksG).
Credibility through transparency
In B2B business, a company's credibility is crucial to its success. Companies should therefore openly communicate their environmental and social activities and regularly publish reports on their progress. Even beyond the legal requirements.
This strengthens their reputation, provided their efforts for more sustainability are credibly communicated and, above all, implemented.
Climate change and resource conservation
Climate change is one of the most pressing global challenges. Everyone should do their part to limit global warming. This includes companies, for example, by reducing their CO2 emissions, increasing energy efficiency and relying on renewable energies.
To conserve valuable resources, companies can, for example, introduce efficient methods for production. Or reduce waste and promote the circular economy. This also enables costs to be saved.
Overall, sustainability for companies is not only influenced by regulatory requirements. Credible implementation of sustainability also becomes a competitive advantage.
Solution for sustainability management
Many companies are under pressure to act on the issue of sustainability. From the 2025 financial year at the latest, the European Union requires most companies to produce a binding sustainability report, the so-called ESG report. This comprises the documentation of three areas: Environment, social affairs and corporate governance.
Telekom offers support here: The "Telekom Sustainability Manager" is a software-as-a-service solution. It allows companies to choose from various modules according to a modular principle: ESG reporting, climate management and action finder. Or with the Salesforce Net Zero Cloud. It enables companies to collect and visualize their emissions data and measure it against planned reduction targets.
