20. Welcomes the fact that the number of companies disclosing information on their environmental, social and governance (ESG) performance has grown significantly in recent years; points out, however, that reporting companies still constitute only a small share of global business; notes that, while the EU Accounts Modernisation Directive (2003/51/EC) ensures a minimum level of disclosure of both financial and non-financial key performance indicators, it does not stipulate any requirements in relation to the type of indicators to be included in annual reports; calls on the Commission to investigate further possible measures to strengthe ...[+++]n disclosure of ESG information at European level;

7. Endorses the Commission’s intention to bring forward a proposal on ‘non-financial disclosure’ by businesses which will enable the EU to encourage European businesses to apply the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights and the UN Global Compact; welcomes the fact that this proposal is based on a wide-ranging public consultation as well as on a series of workshops with relevant stakeholders; stresses that use of the term ‘non-financial’ should not disguise the real financial consequences for businesses in terms of social, environmental and human rights impacts; points out that the impact of business action and social involvement can also be measured in financial terms; calls for a proposal which places the EU at the heart of the man ...[+++]y current international initiatives on corporate sustainability reporting and which is fully in line with the objective of making integrated reporting, as currently developed by the International Integrated Reporting Council (IIRC), the global norm by the end of the decade; stresses, however, that any solution chosen must not create excessive administrative burdens, particularly for SMEs; believes that the philanthropic activities of businesses should not generate red tape and costs that could jeopardise their voluntary commitments; welcomes the goal of exposing human rights violations and criminal schemes, and urges states to punish such activity with utmost rigour;

4. The management of every undertaking belonging to the Community-scale group of undertakings and the central management or the deemed central management within the meaning of the second subparagraph of paragraph 2 of the Community-scale undertaking or group of undertakings shall be responsible for obtaining and transmitting to the parties concerned by the application of this Directive the information required for commencing the negotiations referred to in Article 5, and in particular the information concerning the structure of the undertaking or the group and its workforce.

To that end, the undertaking or controlling undertaking must be required to communicate to the employees’ appointed representatives general information concerning the interests of employees and information relating more specifically to those aspects of the activities of the undertaking or group of undertakings which affect employees’ interests.

Employees’ rights other than rights of participation should remain subject to the national provisions referred to in Council Directive 98/59/EC of 20 July 1998 on collective redundancies , Council Directive 2001/23/EC of 12 March 2001 on the safeguarding of employees’ rights in the event of transfers of undertakings, businesses or parts of undertakings or businesses , Directive 2002/14/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 March 2002 establishing a general framework for informing and consulting employees in the European Community and Council Directive 94/45/EC of 22 September 1994 on the establishment of a European Works ...[+++] Council or a procedure in Community-scale undertakings and Community-scale groups of undertakings for the purposes of informing and consulting employees

Employees’ rights other than rights of participation should remain subject to the national provisions referred to in Council Directive 98/59/EC of 20 July 1998 on collective redundancies , Council Directive 2001/23/EC of 12 March 2001 on the safeguarding of employees’ rights in the event of transfers of undertakings, businesses or parts of undertakings or businesses , Directive 2002/14/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 March 2002 establishing a general framework for informing and consulting employees in the European Community and Council Directive 94/45/EC of 22 September 1994 on the establishment of a European Works ...[+++] Council or a procedure in Community-scale undertakings and Community-scale groups of undertakings for the purposes of informing and consulting employees .