Omnibus vote update: a step backwards for sustainability
The latest update on the Omnibus I package
On 13 November 2025, the European Parliament adopted its position on the Omnibus I package, a legislative initiative originally framed as a “simplification” measure to reduce administrative burdens and boost competitiveness. However, the adopted text represents a significant rollback of key sustainability provisions under the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) and the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD).
What changed?
Scope reduction: the thresholds for companies subject to CSRD and CSDDD have been dramatically raised. CSRD now applies only to companies with 1,750 employees and €450 million turnover, while CSDDD applies to those with 5,000 employees and €1.5 billion turnover. This excludes over 90% of companies previously covered.
Due diligence dilution: obligations are limited to direct suppliers, removing most of the supply chain from scrutiny. This undermines efforts to address human rights and environmental risks in high-impact sectors like textiles, mining, and agriculture.
Climate transition plans scrapped: companies are no longer required to align their business models with the Paris Agreement objectives.
Reporting delays: key sustainability reporting deadlines have been postponed, weakening accountability and transparency.
What are the implications?
The Omnibus vote signals a troubling shift from ambitious sustainability governance to short-term deregulation, prioritising competitiveness over climate and social responsibility.
C2C Certified® in this context
While legislation weakens, Cradle to Cradle Certified® remains a robust, science-based framework that goes beyond compliance. It provides companies with a pathway to design and innovate responsibly, guided by principles that ensure long-term resilience and measurable impact:
Material Health: eliminating harmful substances and prioritising materials that are safe for humans and ecosystems.
Product Circularity: designing products for repair, reuse, and upcycling, with ease of disassembly to enable complete circular flows.
Water and Soil Stewardship and Clean Air & Climate Protection: protecting natural systems by reducing emissions and preventing contamination throughout the product lifecycle.
Social Fairness: ensuring respect for human rights, fair labour practices, and ethical supply chains across all tiers.
At the heart of C2C Certified is transparency, enabling companies to share verified, credible data on product performance and impacts - moving beyond box-ticking to meaningful accountability and trust.
The C2C Certified standard has been mapped against CSRD and CSDDD requirements, ensuring that companies using it are supported in multiple ways to remain future-proof and compliant with the previous strong legislative texts. Unlike the Omnibus approach, which narrows obligations and delays progress, C2C Certified certification drives continuous improvement and innovation, ensuring companies lead in sustainability even when the EU policy landscape regresses.
What’s next?
The adopted position will move to trilogue negotiations with the Council and Commission. Civil society and progressive businesses are calling for restoration of strong due diligence and reporting requirements. Meanwhile, companies committed to C2C Certified principles can demonstrate leadership by maintaining high standards and preparing for a future where circularity and transparency are non-negotiable.