The European Green Deal, presented by the European Commission at the end of 2019, marks a historic turning point in European climate policy. With the ambitious goal of becoming the first climateneutral continent by 2050, the EU is initiating profound transformations across all areas of economy and society. Companies face the complex challenge of not only understanding the multitude of initiatives, legislative proposals, and regulations but also implementing them in practice. The different implementation stages of various elements and continuously evolving requirements make it particularly difficult to maintain a clear overview of legal obligations and initiate necessary adjustments in a timely manner. This paper follows a systematic, three-stage research approach for a comprehensive analysis of the European Green Deal. In the first phase, the current implementation level of various initiatives is examined in detail using established and new evaluation methods and specific progress indicators. The second research step focuses on the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD) as a key component and analyzes its concrete impacts on supply chain management. In the third part, the organizational requirements for European businesses are demonstrated and evaluated using a detailed responsibility matrix, using a focal company as an example. The study shows that despite significant global challenges such as the COVID-19 pandemic and the Ukraine conflict, the European Green Deal largely adheres to its original timeline. The detailed analysis of legislative processes, financial frameworks, and monitoring mechanisms reveals a structured and robust transformation process. Particularly noteworthy is the finding that successful implementation of the CSDDD in a corporate context requires precise assignment of responsibilities and establishment of effective control mechanisms. The developed responsibility matrix provides a practical guide for companies of various sizes. The paper thus makes an important contribution to better understanding the practical implementation of the European Green Deal and its far-reaching implications at the corporate level. It outlines concrete options for action and provides decision-makers with a well-founded basis for the strategic alignment of their sustainability initiatives.
Date of Award | 2024 |
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Original language | German (Austria) |
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Supervisor | Franz Staberhofer (Supervisor) |
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The Art of the European Green Deal
Niederwimmer, M. R. (Author). 2024
Student thesis: Master's Thesis