How is the sustainability transformation unfolding in France?

This week on the Frankly Speaking podcast, Richard Howitt was joined by Sébastien Mandron, Board Member of C3D, an association of more than 400 chief sustainability officers.

Together they discussed Worldline Global’s experience of producing their first CSRD report, and the company’s reaction to French President Macron coming out against the CSDDD despite France having been the first European country to implement its own human rights due diligence law, ‘le devoir de diligence’. You’ll also hear more about:

• Why the company believes regulation is vital in achieving the green transition

• How the recent UN Oceans Conference in Nice earlier this month demonstrates that companies will continue being asked to provide answers on their sustainability transformation

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The history of corporate human rights abuse is as old as the history of corporations themselves, and yet our understanding of business and human rights has only evolved significantly over the last five decades. The concept of corporate accountability is now widely known, whereas only 20-30 years ago, companies often refused to accept responsibility for the inhumane conditions or practices found in factories producing their products. But how did this understanding evolve, and what progress remains to be achieved?

This week on the Frankly Speaking podcast, Richard Howitt was joined by Michael H. Posner, Director of the NYU Stern Center for Business and Human Rights, the first ever human rights centre at a business school.

Together they discussed Michael’s latest book ‘Conscience Incorporated: Pursue Profits While Protecting Human Rights’ which weaves together his decades of legal experience working with companies from Nike, Adidas, Microsoft and many others to put the case for a genuine change in business attitude and practice on corporate human rights. You’ll also hear more about:

• How the Coca-Cola company scandal in the 1980s marked a great step in the history of corporate accountability

• Global lessons learned from the 2013 Rana Plaza tragedy

• Michael’s work to improve the awful conditions in which Apple iPhones were being produced in Shenzhen, China in the 2010s

• Facebook’s role in spreading hate speech in Myanmar

• • Why Hong-Kong based company Esquel Group left the Fair Labor Association
  • Michael’s reflections on Meta’s recent decision to end moderation altogether and how corporate human rights have been impacted by the incumbent Trump administration

  
  

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At a time when there is so much uncertainty around sustainability and due diligence reporting with the ongoing Omnibus negotiations, it’s more important than ever to listen to the voice of business. How have companies in Germany been performing on sustainability reporting, and what does the future of the country’s green transition look like?

This week on the Frankly Speaking podcast, Richard Howitt was joined by Fritz Putzhammer, Project Manager at the Bertelsmann Stiftung, an independent research foundation which has been monitoring the sustainability transformation of the German economy over the last three years.

Together they discussed the results of the latest 2025 Sustainability Transformation Monitor, and how they compare to the recent high-level political discourse within Germany on sustainability and due diligence reporting, as well as to the EU’s Omnibus Simplification proposals. You’ll also hear more about:

• How the German Mittelstand (SMEs) are faring on sustainability reporting

• Why German businesses are falling behind on climate transition plans (CTPs)

• Bertelsmann Stiftung’s recommendations to policymakers for the years to come

• The foundation’s personal message to German businesses

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