SASI-Lunchbreak: The impact of EmpCo on sustainability communication and producing countries
With the EU’s Empowering Consumers for the Green Transition Directive (EmpCo), a new regulatory framework comes into force that aims to make sustainability communication more transparent, credible and trustworthy. For agricultural supply chains, however, the implications extend far beyond marketing and legal compliance.
Dear friends of the Sustainable Agricultural Supply Chains Initiative (SASI),
We warmly invite you to the next SASI Lunchbreak “The Impact of EmpCo on Sustainability Communication and Producing Countries” on Thursday, 17th September 2026, from 13:00 to 14:00 CEST.
The EU’s Empowering Consumers for the Green Transition Directive (EmpCo) introduces new requirements for sustainability communication, aiming to strengthen consumer trust by ensuring that sustainability claims are clear, credible and supported by robust evidence. While the directive primarily regulates business-to-consumer communication, its implications extend far beyond marketing and legal compliance.
An important question is whether more credible sustainability communication will also contribute to better sustainability outcomes in producing countries. Or is there a risk that stricter communication requirements improve the credibility of sustainability claims without necessarily strengthening their real-world impact? Some stakeholders have also raised concerns that companies may become more reluctant to communicate about genuine sustainability progress — even where substantial investments and meaningful improvements continue.
These questions are particularly relevant for agricultural supply chains. Substantiating claims related to fair trading practices, improved farmer livelihoods, biodiversity or regenerative agriculture increasingly requires reliable evidence from producing countries. This raises important questions about impact measurement, data collection, certification systems and the role of producers and producer organisations in generating credible evidence.
Together with our experts, we will explore how EmpCo may reshape sustainability communication, what it means for sustainability impacts, standards and company-led initiatives, and how the directive could influence future investments and sustainability efforts in global agricultural supply chains.
Antonie Fountain is co-founder and Managing Director of the VOICE and VOCAL Networks, two global networks of civil society organisations working in sustainable cocoa and coffee respectively. He acts as one of the key spokespersons for civil society in cocoa, and has been actively advocating a sustainable cocoa sector for almost two decades. Antonie is a keynote speaker and author of numerous publications on cocoa sustainability. Antonie was Decorator as “Chevalier de l'Ordre National” of Côte d'Ivoire in recognition of his work in sustainable cocoa.
Learn more about the recently published study by the Voice Cocoa Network, “EmpCo Will Reshape Cocoa Sustainability Claims.”
Robert Diendorfer is an expert for business & human rights at Forum Fairer Handel e.V. Germany. His area of work includes political- and educational work focused on human rights and environmental due diligence, fair trade, as well as EU regulation. Robert has gathered international academic- and work experience in Japan, Nepal, Canada, Germany and Austria.
You have missed the Lunchbreak or want to rewatch it? We have recorded the event for you.
For questions and further information, please do not hesitate to contact us at sasi@giz.de.
Your SASI-Team