We Explain by YouSustain

This episode is a little different: we have an announcement. Fanny is starting a PhD in collaboration with YouSustain, the Research Council of Norway and the Norwegian University of Life Sciences. The research question is at the right at the heart of sustainability reporting: Are mandatory regulations by governments or voluntary pressures from financial institutions the main drivers of modern ESG reporting among private companies in Norway and the EU? The working research topic focuses on ESG reporting in Norway and the EU, and the role of governments, banks and private-company motivations. More specifically, the project will explore whether regulation is really the main driver of ESG reporting, or whether banks and financial institutions may play a much bigger role in shaping, controlling and pressuring companies to report. We also get into why companies continued reporting voluntarily during the uncertainty around Omnibus, what financial risk has to do with sustainability disclosures, and whether the future of ESG reporting will be driven by regulation, business incentives, or a mix of both. And yes, we also discuss what happens when someone decides that running a company, renovating a house and raising a puppy somehow still leaves enough free time for a PhD.

What happens when sustainability regulation meets real world business? In Episode 5 of We Explain by YouSustain , we unpack some of the latest stories making waves in sustainability, ESG and regulation, with plenty of opinions along the way. This week, we revisit PPWR and the backlash from small and medium sized businesses across Europe, as some companies respond to new packaging requirements by stopping cross border shipments altogether. We also dive into: New Zealand’s climate liability debate and a new law raising big questions about whether companies can be held legally accountable for the climate damage caused by their emissions. Temu, Shein and EU regulation and why new rules on low value imports appear to be changing shopping behavior in Sweden, while Norway continues buying millions of products from ultra cheap online marketplaces. The hidden cost of data centres and how data centres are consuming a remarkable share of Ireland’s electricity, with households increasingly feeling the impact on their energy bills. From EU regulation and corporate accountability to fast fashion, AI infrastructure and electricity prices, this episode looks at what happens when sustainability policy moves from paper into everyday life.

ESG ratings are everywhere, but what does an A, a B, or a 73 out of 100 actually mean? In this episode of We Explain, by YouSustain , we look at the EU’s new rules for ESG rating providers and why transparency around scoring, methodology and conflicts of interest is becoming a much bigger deal. Under the new directive, rating providers operating in the EU will need authorization from the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA), explaining how their scores are calculated, and be much clearer about what is behind the E, the S and the G. We also get into why a high ESG score doesn’t necessarily mean a company is “sustainable,” and why separating ratings from consulting services could make the whole system a little more credible. And, because no sustainability episode is complete without a little CSRD, we finish with the latest changes to the ESRS and what the new voluntary standard could mean for companies outside the EU that want to do business in Europe.

Setting a climate target is the easy part. Proving there’s a real plan behind it is much harder. In this episode of We Explain by YouSustain, we look at something we come across all the time: emissions targets that sound ambitious on paper, but don’t always have much underneath them. Think unclear timelines, patchy data, and a lot of faith that future technology will somehow close the gap. We also dig into the EU’s Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR), which became legally binding on 12 August 2026. We talk about what it actually means for companies, why so much depends on decisions made at the packaging design stage, and what Coca-Cola’s packaging history, including those old green Sprite bottles, can teach us about sustainability claims that don’t age particularly well. If you’ve ever looked at a company’s sustainability messaging and wondered what’s solid, what’s optimistic, and what’s mostly good wording, this episode is for you.

In this episode of We Explain by YouSustain , we answer your questions. We tackle questions submitted by our audience and explore the topics, concerns, and everyday challenges that matter most to you. From misconceptions to broader questions about responsibility, impact, and what meaningful sustainability really looks like, this Q&A episode is all about making the conversation more open, accessible, and relevant. Whether you’re curious about where to start, unsure about certain sustainability claims, or simply want to hear how others are thinking about these issues, this episode is shaped by the audience and the conversations happening around sustainability today. Have a question you’d like us to cover in a future episode? Keep them coming, your questions help shape the conversation.

Between Trump, the ECB, and AI, ESG has had a pretty eventful couple of years. In our very first episode, we look at where sustainability stands in 2026. We talk about Trump's impact on climate policy, the EU's ever-changing sustainability regulations, why the European Central Bank might be one of the biggest drivers of ESG right now, and whether AI is actually helping companies become more sustainable... or just giving everything a new buzzword. Along the way, we also discuss why sustainability is slowly moving out of the marketing department and into finance and strategy, why smaller companies should start preparing earlier than they think, and where we think ESG is headed next. If you've been wondering what on earth has been happening in the world of sustainability, this is a pretty good place to start.