Effective September 27, 2026, the EmpCo Directive (EU 2024/825) will apply in Germany, implemented through the Act Against Unfair Competition (UWG). It affects all companies that advertise with environmental or sustainability claims to consumers, regardless of size or industry. In this talk from our Sustainability x AI series, Janika Ofterdinger speaks with Kathrin Ruhnke (Nextra Consulting) about how companies can prepare systematically and how an AI-powered quick check helps to efficiently screen large volumes of sustainability communication.
What the EmpCo Directive Regulates
The EmpCo Directive aims to curb greenwashing and protect consumers from misleading claims. It focuses on three clusters: general environmental and climate claims, sustainability labels and comparative claims, as well as product-related claims regarding durability and reparability. The talk clarifies which types of claims will be inadmissible in the future – including compensation-based climate neutrality claims and self-created labels without recognized certification.
Four Steps to Preparation
The talk presents a structured four-step approach: first, understand the requirements of the directive, then analyze existing communication for gaps, define your own level of ambition, and finally, set up a roadmap for implementation. Equally important is governance: sustainability, legal, and marketing departments should collaborate early, also with external agencies involved in communication.
Efficient Screening with an AI Agent
Instead of manually sifting through hundreds of pages of communication, the talk demonstrates an AI-powered quick check: URLs and documents are fed in, the contained claims are assigned to EmpCo categories and classified by risk. From the results, the agent derives courses of action and an initial roadmap. This creates a cost-efficient funnel approach that highlights the relevant areas for improvement.
What you will learn in this talk
- which types of claims the EmpCo Directive covers and what requirements companies will face
- how to prepare your sustainability communication in four steps
- what role governance and the collaboration of sustainability, legal, and marketing play
- how an AI-powered quick check categorizes claims and assesses risks
All future and past webinars can be found at: nextra-consulting.com/webinars.
You can find more about the EmpCo Quick Check here.
