EU member states have agreed to reduce the Union's greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55% by 2030. By 2050, the EU should be climate neutral. CSRD is one of the key measures to help meet this target. Many companies have already started making adjustments to meet emission requirements, including the Green House Gas Protocol, which requires companies to report on Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions. Scope 1 refers to direct emissions for which the company itself is responsible, while Scope 2 refers to indirect emissions from purchased energy. However, a large part – if not the majority – of the emissions occur outside the boundaries of the company, which is Scope 3. Examples include CO2 emissions from the end product, the degree of recycling of materials, maintenance requirements, and the transport and logistics involved in delivery, service and maintenance operations.

It all comes down to Big Data

In essence, it all comes down to data. Digital transformation has left companies managing gigantic datasets, often stored in silos or separate databases, leaving management with no clear overview of what is stored where. This fragmentation, combined with the sheer volume of data, immediately gives an idea of the immense challenge companies will face if they have to disclose more than 350 data points starting in 2025. Not to mention concerns about data quality and reliability.

In her key note, Els Meyvaert, founder of Web3 for Woman, gave an overview of the history and growth of Big Data and the technologies that support it. The concept of Big Data became mainstream around 2010, as companies began to focus on processing large amounts of unstructured data from various sources (social media, IoT devices, sensors, etc.). The rise of AI and machine learning technologies in the mid-2010s required massive amounts of data to train models and improve algorithms. This trend created more and more data, particularly in industries like healthcare, finance, and retail, where large data sets are essential for predictive analytics and automation.

The global shift to remote work, online education and e-commerce during the COVID-19 pandemic significantly accelerated data creation. According to Els Meyvaert, this growth will intensify with the continued expansion of 5G networks, autonomous vehicles, smart cities and AI-driven systems.

Of the various technologies supporting the Big Data evolution, blockchain technology holds the greatest potential, according to Els Meyvaert. True traceability, exchange and verification of all valuable data, whether created by humans or machines, will happen via blockchain, with or without trusted third-party partners who will play a different role in the value chain.

Supply chain

Prof Maximiliano Udenio of the Faculty of Economics and Business (FEB, KU Leuven) explored the data challenges surrounding supply chain sustainability from an academic point of view. He focused on the complexity of reporting Scope 3 emissions, which are outside a company’s direct control. As a potential solution, he suggested integrating direct measurements of Scope 1 emissions from suppliers, the company in question, and customers. This approach could allow a more or less realistic estimation of Scope 3 emissions. However, he acknowledged that the task remains difficult, given the dynamic nature of supply networks – about a quarter of these networks undergo changes each year.

Research by Prof Udenio and his team also show that there is a discrepancy between upstream and downstream emissions. While most attention is paid to upstream emissions from suppliers, in many cases emissions are highest when the product has left the company.

Sustainable IT

Peter De Meester, Executive Partner at the consulting firm Gardner, addressed a critical question: how sustainable are the technologies used to improve sustainability? He emphasized that by 2025, 75% of organizations will face persistent electricity shortages, further increasing the demand for sustainable IT solutions. For many companies, however, sourcing sustainable IT presents an additional challenge, as they often lack an internal culture or strategy focused on environmentally conscious IT practices. To bridge this gap, organizations will need to invest in promoting environmental literacy among their IT staff.

The panel discussion was not just about the problems and obstacles of CSRD. Yannick Dylst, Senior Expert Sustainability at transport company H. Essers, called the EU directive an opportunity for transformation, improvement and transparency.

Els Meyvaert summarized, "Reliable and validated data offer benefits such as protecting products and consumers, who can thus make sustainable choices. Open sustainability data also increases brand visibility in the market, which in turn contributes to greater trust in the company.”

Yves Persoons