Until a few years ago, corporate transparency about their activities and their impact on society and the environment was still exceptional and non-committal. However, sustainability reporting is now for many companies a mandatory part of accounting for what they do, and has become common good. René Orij, who recently was appointed as full professor at Nyenrode Business Universiteit, has conducted important research in this area.

Today, René Orij was appointed as Professor of Corporate Sustainability Reporting at Nyenrode Business University. "With my future research, I want to hold up a mirror to companies and accountants: think about the importance of transparency about sustainability."

The EU’s Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) is transforming ESG reporting. Starting from 2024, almost 50,000 companies are subject to mandatory sustainability reporting, including non-EU companies which have subsidiaries operating within the EU or are listed on EU regulated markets.

On 21 April 2021, in the wake of the EU Green Deal, the European Commission adopted a proposal for a Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) aimed at revising and strengthening rules introduced by the existing Non-Financial Reporting Directive (NFRD).