In this episode of the Sustainability Omnibus Podcast, hosts Moriah Costa and Simon Nixon speak with Mathilde Dufour, Head of Sustainability Research at sustainable asset management firm Mirova, a firm with over €31 billion in assets under management (AUM), about the far-reaching implications of the proposed Omnibus reforms.

As the EU moves to simplify key regulations, investors are warning that the changes risk undermining the quality, comparability, and availability of ESG data. Mathilde Dufour offers an asset manager’s perspective on why credible, standardised data is essential - not only for compliance, but for effective capital allocation and long-term economic competitiveness.

The conversation also explores the importance of maintaining double materiality and sector-specific disclosures, how voluntary reporting for smaller companies could create data blind spots and the potential risks of introducing a value chain cap on reporting. Mathilde Dufour makes the case that even with lighter regulations, the demand for ESG data will persist as sustainability risks accumulate in the financial system.

The episode examines how artificial intelligence could transform sustainable finance by enhancing data processing and decision-making provided that robust, high-quality ESG data is in place to power it, and why Europe must ensure its data gathering infrastructure sets a global benchmark. With the EU at a crossroads, Mathilde sheds light on what’s truly at stake in the Omnibus negotiations, and why regulatory stability and leadership are vital for driving the green transition across Europe and beyond.

Key Topics Discussed:

• The interconnection between the CSRD, CSDDD, and the EU Taxonomy with SFDR and MiFID
• How proposed changes could reduce corporate sustainability data and heighten risks of regulatory uncertainty
• What the introduction of a value chain cap would mean for investors, and why maintaining double materiality and sector-specific disclosures are so important
• The global context: Is the EU facing an ESG backlash, and what are the implications for sustainable finance?
• The role of AI in transforming sustainable finance

Guest Speaker:

• Mathilde Dufour, Head of Sustainability Research at Mirova

Resources & Further Reading:

• Green Central Banking: https://greencentralbanking.com/2025/02/26/eu-sustainability-omnibus-proposal/
• EU Commissions Omnibus Proposal: https://commission.europa.eu/news/commission-proposes-cut-red-tape-and-simplify-business-environment-2025-02-26_en

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• Contact us at [email protected]

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