Chapters
Introduction
Sustainability is now an increasingly strategic issue for businesses. Indeed, as our world changes, the ability of companies to transform and reinvent themselves in this new paradigm is fundamental to ensuring their resilience, performance, and competitiveness in the future.
To accelerate and facilitate the sustainable transition of Luxembourg companies, the House of Sustainability is the leading player in the field in Luxembourg. This initiative aims to guide, inform, raise awareness, and support Luxembourg companies on the key issues of sustainable development, in collaboration with partners in the ecosystem.
“And businesses have an essential role to play in the sustainable transition that is underway! By integrating sustainability issues in their development strategies, they can reduce their environmental impact, adapt to climate change, and above all, through their innovative strength, provide answers and operational solutions to the major social and environmental challenges of our time.
Companies are the true architects of sustainable development - they are part of the solution with their innovative and sustainable products, services, and business models!” Fernand Ernster, President of the Chamber of Commerce
The House of Sustainability has developed a comprehensive range of services to help companies make the transition to sustainability, tailored to their needs and level of maturity. Thanks to a solid network of national partners, the House of Sustainability can effectively guide companies towards the right solutions.
I want to understand sustainability
Before embarking on a sustainability journey, it is important to understand the challenges of sustainability and how they relate to your business. The House of Sustainability website is designed to help you in this process by providing a wealth of relevant resources and information:
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The Luxembourg Sustainable Business Principles
Driven by the Plenary Assembly of the Chamber of Commerce, a working group made up of representatives of companies from different sectors was set up in 2021 to focus on sustainable development and work on developing and defining sustainable development trajectories for companies, according to their sectors and maturity, by 2030.
Focusing on the needs and priorities of companies to contribute to sustainable development and considering the rapidly evolving regulatory agenda, the working group has established 10 guiding and unifying principles for the Luxembourg business community, based on a bottom-up approach that reflects the voice and convictions of companies.
The Luxembourg Sustainable Business Principles are a compass for companies to help them transform their business models, by integrating sustainable development issues more systematically at the heart of their strategy. They enable companies to anticipate regulations, meet the expectations of their various stakeholders and seize the associated growth opportunities. Action plans are defined for each of the guiding principles. These pathways enable you to apply the aspects of sustainability in practical terms within your company.
- The Sustainability Cycles
To help you better understand sustainability based on the 10 principles of sustainable development outlined above, the House of Sustainability has launched the Sustainability Cycles. These are a series of themed events that explore one of the pillars of the compass each month. These formats give you the opportunity to delve deeper into the theme at conferences, workshops, webinars, etc., and to exchange views with experts commissioned by the House of Sustainability. Find out about upcoming Sustainability Cycles events here.
To receive content selected by the House of Sustainability directly in your inbox, as well as all the latest news about future events, join the Sustainability mailing list.
- Dedicated resources
The House of Sustainability website is filled with freely accessible thematic content (videos, replays of events, testimonials, publications, etc.) so that you always have access to the relevant news and resources to support you in your sustainable transition.
In addition, the agenda of events linked to sustainable development in the Grand Duchy, available on the House of Sustainability platform, will keep you up to date with the latest initiatives and solutions proposed by our partners, in line with the 10 guiding principles of sustainable development.
The LinkedIn page will also keep you up to date with the latest news from the House of Sustainability and the Luxembourg ecosystem.
I want to take action and benefit from customized support
The House of Sustainability is working to develop a governance structure designed for the sustainable transition, to facilitate the coordination, orchestration and steering of the development of the local service offering in this area, for the benefit of Luxembourg companies.
The House of Sustainability and the Sustainability ecosystem in Luxembourg offer concrete solutions so that you can take your first steps towards a more sustainable future today.
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A free, one-to-one initial consultation
The House of Sustainability team is at your service to answer any questions you may have about your sustainable development approach. They will provide you with individual guidance based on your specific needs so that they can be incorporated into the development of new initiatives.
You can benefit from an introduction to the 10 guiding principles of sustainable development and information on the services, financial support, labels, and events offered by the House of Sustainability.
What's more, the Sustainability ecosystem in Luxembourg is highly developed, and the House of Sustainability's mission is also to guide you towards the players offering initiatives tailored to your needs.
Contact the House of Sustainability for a free initial one-to-one consultation.
- Developing a sustainable strategy
For SMEs that want to make the transition to sustainability but don't necessarily know where to start, the House of Sustainability offers the “Starter Kit RSE”. This is a support programme that allows you to carry out an initial self-assessment before benefiting from personalised support from an INDR-accredited expert, who will help you put in place a concrete action plan to kick-start your sustainable transition.
The “Starter Kit RSE” also aims to support SMEs in their transition towards a more sustainable operating models, with the objective of obtaining the “label ESR”.
Find out more about the Starter Kit RSE.
- Improve your environmental impact
Benefit from individual support for your investments aimed at reducing your environmental impact (water, energy, waste, carbon footprint) thanks to the temporary environmental impact aid and the SME Sustainability Package.
In addition to the subsidies it manages directly, the House of Sustainability facilitates access to other financial assistance available for sustainable investments. The financial aid navigator will help you find the most appropriate aid for your sustainable investment, as well as the contact organisation. Find out in just a few clicks whether you are eligible for financial aid or contact the House of Sustainability to be guided towards the aid best suited to your project.
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Committing to responsible governance
Integrating due diligence processes will enable you to identify and mitigate human rights risks while implementing responsible governance practices.
The National Business and Human Rights Pact is a programme based on voluntary commitment proposed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the House of Sutainability to implement the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights.
Joining the community of signatories means benefitting from enriching exchanges between peers and confidential recommendations from an expert to maximise your impact. By making a commitment, you strengthen the confidence of your consumers and partners while enhancing your reputation as a responsible player.
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Preparing sustainability reporting
The Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (also known as the CSRD) came into force on 1 January 2024. This directive requires a sustainability report to be drawn up, integrated, and published with the company's annual report.
The CSRD applies to :
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Companies already subject to the extra-financial reporting imposed by the NFRD (Large public interest entities that employ more than 500 employees, generate more than 50M in turnover, and/or more than 25M in balance sheet total). These companies must publish their first reports in 2025.
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Large companies that meet two of the following three criteria: companies that employ more than 250 employees, generate more than 50 million in sales, and/or have a balance sheet total of more than 25 million. These companies must publish their first reports in 2026.
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Listed SMEs, with the exception of micro-enterprises, that meet two of the following three criteria: listed SMEs with between 10 and 250 employees, between 900,000 and 50 million in turnover, and between 450,000 and 25 million in total assets. These companies must normally publish their first reports in 2027 but may apply for a derogation until 2029.
If your company is concerned by the application of the CSRD directive, the following initiatives may be of interest to you:
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Join the CSRD training course given in partnership with the House of Training. This training enables professionals responsible for implementing the CSRD to discover and learn how to master the essential steps involved in drawing up a sustainability report (in line with the ESRS standards and EFRAG recommendations).
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Join the CSRD Network. This network of professionals allows you to benefit from the support of CSRD experts, to have access to events and information that are essential to the successful implementation of CSRD, and above all to be able to exchange with your peers so that, together, you can face the challenges of sustainability reporting.
I want to access training in sustainability
Through its training organisation, the House of Sustainability offers a selection of training courses covering a wide range of key sustainable development topics.
Listed by theme, these courses meet your training needs according to your industry and your maturity level regarding the development of a sustainable transition strategy.
Covering topics ranging from the circular economy and carbon footprint to well-being in the workplace, these courses provide effective leverage to help you take action and begin your transition towards a more sustainable operating model.
You can find out more about the House of Training's range of sustainability training courses by consulting the House of Training's sustainability training courses.
I want to emphasise my commitment
Once you have committed to sustainability, obtaining a label becomes a real asset for structuring your sustainable actions and strengthening your company's credibility. Not only will you be able to measure your progress, but you will also be able to promote your sustainability efforts to your customers and partners and stand out in the marketplace.
The Institut National pour le Développement durable et la Responsabilité sociale des entreprises (INDR), a partner of the House of Sustainability, offers companies their label in Luxembourg, the ‘ESR - Entreprise Responsable’ label, which enables company directors to structure, formalise and promote their social responsibility initiatives. Obtaining the ESR label automatically gives access to the Responsibility Europe label, which is a European certification scheme.
To find out more about the label, contact the INDR team today.
Who can help me ?
Companies interested in receiving more information on sustainability can reach out to the House of Sustainability
To find out about all the services mentioned above and the full range of services offered by the House of Sustainability, visit www.sustainability.lu.
The Sustainability team can help you with your sustainable development initiatives and direct you to the appropriate organisations for your business. If you have any questions, please contact us by e-mail at sustainability@cc.lu or by telephone on +352 42 39 39 450.