Deloitte Legal Update 13/2026: Green Claims 2026: Identify. Verify. Manage in a legally compliant manner

Environmental and sustainability claims have long been an integral part of marketing, sales and corporate communications. Terms such as ‘climate neutral’, ‘environmentally friendly’, ‘sustainable’, ‘green’ or ‘low-carbon’ can be found on packaging, websites, in product descriptions, online shops and advertising campaigns. Furthermore, forward-looking environmental pledges such as ‘We will be climate-neutral by 2030’ or ‘We will reduce our CO₂ emissions by 50 per cent by 2030’. The use of companies’ own sustainability labels, seals or shop badges – which highlight environmental, social or animal welfare aspects without being statutorily defined or based on an independent certification system – is also widespread.

With the transposition of the Empowering Consumers Directive (EmpCo) – a key component of the European Green Deal – into the Act against Unfair Competition Act (Gesetz Gegen den unlauteren Wettbewerb - UWG), the legal requirements for environmental and sustainability claims are being significantly tightened. From 27 September 2026, new standards will apply to green claims, sustainability labels, climate-neutrality advertising and forward-looking environmental promises. No transition periods are provided for ongoing campaigns or packaging that has already been produced.

Companies must, therefore, assess at short notice which claims will still be legally permissible in future. At the same time, they must ensure, from an organizational perspective, that relevant communications within the company can be identified, reviewed, documented and managed.

Our webcast:

In our joint webcast by Deloitte Legal, Deloitte Sustainability and Deloitte Enterprise Risk, our experts demonstrate how companies can prioritise and tackle the new requirements in a practical manner right now – from the legal classification of the EmpCo-requirements, through the systematic identification of relevant environmental and sustainability communications, to the development of robust processes for long-term, legally compliant implementation.

What to expect:

• What does the EmpCo-Directive cover – and what changes are being made to the UWG?
• Which environmental and sustainability claims will come under particular scrutiny in future?
• What requirements apply to green claims, sustainability labels, carbon-neutrality advertising and future promises?
• Where can relevant statements be found within the company, for example on packaging, websites, product data sheets, online shops, social media, campaigns and sales materials?
• What might a structured review of existing environmental and sustainability communications look like?
• What roles, responsibilities and approval processes should companies
  establish?
• How can legal review, risk assessment and internal governance be
  effectively combined?
• What specific steps should companies take?

Your benefits:

The webcast combines the legal perspective with issues relating to operational implementation and risk management.

Deloitte Legal explains the new legal requirements, typical risk areas and the potential consequences of improper sustainability communication – ranging from warning letters and injunctions to possible fines.

Deloitte Sustainability and Enterprise Risk demonstrate how companies can systematically identify and prioritise relevant environmental and sustainability statements and translate them into robust review, approval and monitoring processes.

You will gain a concise overview of the new EmpCo-requirements and learn how to identify your existing sustainability communications, assess them from a legal perspective and establish them in a reliable organisational framework.

Who is this webcast relevant for?

The webcast is aimed in particular at senior management, legal departments, compliance, risk management, sustainability officers, as well as marketing, sales, product and communications teams in companies that use environmental or sustainability claims or wish to manage their sustainability communications in a legally compliant and efficient manner in future.

We welcome your questions!

Following the presentations, the speakers will be available for an in-depth Q&A session.

Please feel free to send us your specific questions when you register – that way we can address them directly.

Of course, you can also ask questions during the webcast.

We look forward to welcoming you on 26 August 2026!

Reach out!