In this week’s Sustainability/ESG Bulletin, read about new resources on sustainability from Chartered Accountants Ireland, sustainability in the Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment Statement of Strategy 2025-2028, the Gender Balance in Business Survey 2025, energy updates, news from Europe, and the usual articles and upcoming events.

Chartered Accountants Ireland

Why SMEs hold the key to real climate action

In this article by Chartered Accountants Ireland’s Sustainability Advocacy Manager, Susan Rossney describes how Northern Ireland’s SMEs are at the heart of the region’s climate transition. It describes how supporting SMEs is not just good climate policy—it’s smart economic strategy. “If we’re serious about climate action, we must empower SMEs with the tools, incentives and clarity they need to lead the way. Their impact is local, immediate and transformative.”  (Business Eye)

Is the CSRD rollback the end or a new start for sustainability?

The CSRD rollback is raising new questions for sustainability reporting. Stephen Prendiville (Deloitte), Sophie Sweeney (University of Galway) and Susan Rossney (Chartered Accountants Ireland) discuss the new VSME standard, the value of strategy over reporting, and the accountants' role in maintaining the sustainability momentum. (Podcast - 51 mins)

IRELAND

Sustainability in Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment Statement of Strategy 2025-2028

The Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment has published its Statement of Strategy 2025-2028, setting out a new path to drive competitiveness, sustainability and prosperity over the next three years. The new strategy outlines six cross-cutting goals aimed at strengthening Ireland’s position as a leading location to work, do business and visit. It places a strong emphasis on innovation, digitalisation, decarbonisation and infrastructure. To achieve its goal of driving competitiveness, sustainability and innovation, and building the resilience of the economy the Department states it will “advance the green transition in enterprise [in line with Government’s Climate Action Plan] through delivering decarbonisation roadmaps; a Climate Change Adaptation Plan for the Tourism Sector; providing effective supports and incentives, and; implementing the Offshore Wind Industrial Strategy and the EU’s Net Zero Industry Act.”

Energy updates

The Government has published the text of the Electricity (Supply) (Amendment) Bill 2025. This bill, once enacted, will provide the mechanism for government investment of €1.5 billion in ESB Networks to support development of Ireland’s electricity grid over the next five years. This is part of the €3.5 billion government investment approved in the National Development Plan in July. The bill, which will now pass through the Houses of the Oireachtas, also provides for an increase in ESB’s statutory borrowing limit from €12 billion to €17 billion.  Separately, it was also announced this week that funding of €27 million is to be provided from the Climate Action Fund (CAF) for local authorities to support and build low carbon communities across the country.

The National Economic and Social Council (NESC), meanwhile, has identified key risks to energy transition policy and has set out an agenda to respond to them, categorised into actions for ‘now’, ‘next’, and ‘later’. The risks were outlined at the recent National Energy Summit 2025, which brought together 300 experts from industrial, policy, and NGO sectors. Speaking at the conference, Dr Cathal FitzGerald (Senior Analyst at NESC), stated “the transition must make sense at ground level – socially, economically, and politically – as well as on a graph”.

CSO surveys shows that a third of Senior Executives in Ireland in 2025 were female

The Central Statistics Office (CSO) has published its Gender Balance in Business Survey 2025, providing official statistics from the CSO on gender representation in Senior Executive teams and Boards of Directors of large enterprises in Ireland. The survey results show that 32 percent of all Senior Executives in Ireland in 2025 were female, 19 percent of Chief Executive Officers in Ireland were female, almost one in five Boards of Directors had a female Chairperson and 28 percent of members of Boards of Directors in Ireland in 2025 were female. The survey was conducted in response to the Balance for Better Business initiative and aims to provide benchmark information on gender representation. The 2025 survey is the fourth iteration of the survey, which repeats every two years.

Urgent action needed on biodiversity, warns CCAC

The Climate Change Advisory Council has said that Government must urgently strengthen planning processes to prevent further biodiversity loss and embed nature-based solutions in the design and delivery of all future infrastructure developments. In its Annual Review of biodiversity, published this month, the Council has called on the Government to issue national guidance and enact specific regulations to better integrate biodiversity into the planning system. This should include the use of nature-inclusive infrastructure design, the creation of biodiversity corridors, and the restoration of nature-friendly habitats in all new developments.

Research from PwC has found that more than half of global GDP is exposed to material nature risk without immediate action, with $58 trillion at risk.

NORTHERN IRELAND/UK

Energy updates

The UK government has published its first ever national plan to recruit workers needed for its clean energy mission, with over 400,000 extra jobs by 2030. The Clean Energy Jobs plan is part of the UK Industrial Strategy and sets out the workforce needed to deliver the UK’s clean energy ambitions, and how the government will work in partnership with industry and trade unions to deliver it.

Separately the UK government has announced that families and small businesses are set to benefit from greater protections and consumer rights when things go wrong in the energy market, with quicker redress and compensation through the Energy Ombudsman, a crackdown on energy brokers to eradicate exploitation, and protections for businesses when installing smart meters.

EUROPE

MEPs to vote on simplified sustainability and due diligence rules in November

The European Parliament has rejected the mandate adopted by the Legal Affairs Committee on 13 October on simplified rules for sustainability reporting and due diligence obligations, by 309 votes in favour, 318 against and with 34 abstentions. Parliament will decide its position on simpler sustainability requirements ahead of talks with EU governments at the next plenary session in Brussels on 13 November. They will then be ready to start talks with EU governments, which already adopted their position on 23 June. The aim is to finalise the legislation by the end of 2025.

European Parliament Gender equality week

From 3 to 7 November 2025, the European Parliament committees will be discussing how to harness women’s talent through education, training and employment, to drive economic growth and progress. Under the overarching topic of “Talent” the week will feature several committee debates and events, focusing on closing the gender talent gap in education and creating conditions where women can thrive. It will highlight equality – not just as a matter of fairness, but as a driver of economic growth and progress, by using women’s talent to the full. This is the sixth annual European Parliament Gender Equality Week to assess progress, highlight achievements, and identify new ways to promote the rights of women and girls and achieve gender equality, and events can be followed live.

European Union prepares for COP30

The European Council has published climate finance figures in preparation for the United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP30 & CMA7), which will take place from 10 to 21 November in Belém, Brazil. The figures are based on the EU climate finance reporting rules laid down in the governance regulation. In 2024, the European Union and its 27 member states contributed €31.7 billion in climate finance from public sources and mobilised an additional amount of €11.0 billion of private finance to support developing countries to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to the impacts of climate change.

Separately, the European Parliament has adopted its priorities for COP30, urging it to recommit to limiting global warming to 1.5°C. The resolution, prepared by the Committee on the Environment Climate and Food Safety, was approved on Thursday and underlines the need for the EU to remain a leader in international climate negotiations, and that all sectors must contribute to reducing emissions and achieving climate neutrality. The resolution reiterates the urgent need for the EU to end its fossil fuel dependence, phase out related subsidies and accelerate its energy transition. It also calls on the international community to pay increased attention to the climate impact of conflicts.

WORLD

A report published by Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) has revealed that 91 percent of listed companies now disclose sustainability-related information, with 81 percent of these disclosures being externally assured. Global Corporate Sustainability Report 2025 provides insights on how companies are implementing the sustainability-related recommendations of the G20/OECD Principles of Corporate Governance. These recommendations cover disclosure, shareholder-company dialogue, board responsibilities, and stakeholder engagement. The absolute number of companies disclosing sustainability information also increased but remains a moderate share - below one-third - of the total number of listed companies.

Articles

• New laws mean employers will have to reveal salary ranges in job ads and will be prevented from asking about pay history (Irish Independent)
• 87% of hoteliers plan sustainability investments – survey (RTÉ)
• Green roofs and permeable paving: how to solve both the human and nature housing crises (Irish Times)
• Carbon dioxide levels hit new high, locking in overheating of Earth for centuries, WMO warns (Irish Times)

Events

Ibec Networks Autumn Seminar Series, Session 4: The culture of sustainability innovation
The final webinar in a four-part series Autumn Seminar Series ‘The culture equation’ looks at what supports are available to assist on a journey to becoming a more sustainable business. In the supporting case study from O'Brien's Fine Foods the webinar will discuss what drives a sustainability focused culture in an organisation.
Virtual, Thursday 13 November, 11.00-11.50am

IBEC, Preparing for Severe Weather Events
Severe weather conditions can cause major disruption to roads, bus or train infrastructure and therefore, the operation of your business. In this webinar, Dr. Michael Gillen, Head of OSH Policy will review the key points to consider, practical steps and control measures you can put in place.
Virtual, 26 November 11:00 - 11:45

Sustainability Centre

You can find information, guidance and supports to understand sustainability and meet the challenges it presents in our online Sustainability Centre.