The EmpCo Directive (EU) 2024/825 does not only affect corporate groups or specific industries. According to the official EU framework, what is decisive is whether a company addresses consumers. This brings the directive into focus for all companies operating in the B2C space, regardless of their size.
For companies, this means that environmental claims, product information and internal approval processes will be made more robust, clearer and more transparent going forward.
With the EmpCo Directive (EU) 2024/825, the EU tightens the requirements for environmental advertising and consumer information.
Who is affected? B2C focus rather than company size is decisive
A common misconception in practice is that new ESG or consumer regulations primarily affect large or capital-market-oriented companies. With the EmpCo Directive, however, the B2C nexus is the central point of reference.
Anyone who offers products, services or digital content to consumers or makes corresponding statements in customer communications should review the new requirements at an early stage.
Affected types of companies
Objective of the EmpCo Directive (EU) 2024/825: More transparency for consumers
Substantively, the directive amends two central European rulebooks: the provisions on unfair commercial practices as well as the rules on consumer information.
The aim is to better protect consumers in the green transition:
Specific requirements of the EmpCo Directive: What changes for companies
According to the European Commission, consumers should in future receive better and more harmonized information on the durability and reparability of products. In addition, information on statutory warranty rights will be brought more into focus.
At the same time, the directive explicitly targets problematic business practices. These include in particular:
Why companies should act now: Risks in sustainability communications
Many organizations have significantly expanded their ESG and sustainability communications in recent years. This is precisely where a central risk lies: the more claims are in the market, the more important their quality and verifiability become.
Phrases that can become critical include:
Such statements are not automatically inadmissible. They become relevant where they are too sweeping, ambiguous, insufficiently specified or not adequately documented internally. Here, the EmpCo Directive becomes an operational topic for Compliance, Legal, Product Management and Marketing.
Governance and processes: What the directive means for companies
For companies, the topic is evolving into a central governance question. Risks arise not only from individual advertising claims, but above all from:
Implementation therefore does not end with a policy, but is translated into clear workflows, substantiation logic and responsibilities.
Three key action areas for implementing the EmpCo Directive
1. Capture claims systematically (Often the greatest risk does not lie in a single statement, but in the same message being worded differently across channels).
2. Structure evidence and approvals clearly
3. Operationally safeguard product and consumer information
|
Practical tip: |
Companies need adequate lead time to:
Conclusion: The EmpCo Directive as a turning point for sustainability communications
The EmpCo Directive (EU) 2024/825 makes it clear: sustainability communications are evolving from a marketing topic into a structured compliance task. Going forward, the key is no longer whether companies communicate on sustainability, but how robust, consistent and transparent these statements are set up internally. Those who establish clear processes, responsibilities and evidence early on create transparency while strengthening their own position in the market.