From 'Eco-Friendly' to Evidence-Based: EU Cracks Down on Unsubstantiated Green Claims

A wave of regulatory change is reshaping the landscape for German safety officers and executives, with new EU directives tightening the rules on environmental marketing, cyber-resilience and workplace flexibility. Among the most far-reaching measures is the EmpCo directive, which takes effect on 27 September 2026 and effectively bans generic claims such as "environmentally friendly" unless a company can prove "exceptionally good environmental performance."

Private sustainability labels will also face stricter requirements: they must be backed by transparent certification processes and independent audits. The shift is already creating a spike in demand for certified sustainability officers. The Environmental Institute Offenbach has launched specialised training courses that cover both the EU Omnibus Initiative and the expanded reporting duties for firms with at least 1,000 employees under the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD).

The same attention to detail required for sustainability reporting applies to workplace safety documentation — a critical area where many businesses still have gaps. The free Health & Safety Toolkit provides ready-to-use risk assessments, checklists, and toolbox talks covering key UK regulations to help you stay compliant. Download the free Health & Safety Toolkit

Parallel to the green-claim clampdown, the NIS2 directive elevates cyber-resilience to a board-level responsibility, exposing management to personal liability. This is especially critical for companies with networked production systems – so-called OT security. According to Bitkom, 87% of German businesses suffered a cyberattack in 2025, with total damages exceeding €289 billion.

The Offenbach Chamber of Industry and Commerce (IHK) is planning information sessions for August 2026 focused on risk analysis and supply-chain hardening.

Meanwhile, German workplace rules are becoming more flexible in one key area. The federal cabinet has approved a bill introducing "Job-to-Job-Erprobung" – a trial period that allows employees to test a new position with a different employer for up to four weeks, or six in exceptional cases. The process is due to be finalised by the end of November 2026. The government estimates that reducing bureaucracy at small and medium-sized enterprises could eliminate the need for up to 123,000 safety officers, saving firms roughly €720 million per year.

At the same time, technical inspection duties are growing more critical. Under DGUV Regulation 3 and the German Ordinance on Industrial Safety and Health (Betriebssicherheitsverordnung), all electrical equipment – from laptop chargers to coffee machines – must be tested regularly. Missing documentation can trigger fines and liability risks for management.

The labour market for safety professionals remains tight. Deutsche Bahn is recruiting for its rolling-stock maintenance division in Frankfurt am Main, seeking candidates proficient in key performance indicators such as the LTIF, waste management and internal auditing. Logistics firm G3 Worldwide Mail also needs experts in occupational safety and compliance, including EU organic regulations.

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The defence sector is booming: Hensoldt reported a record order backlog of €9.8 billion in the first quarter of 2026, while Rheinmetall is hiring 5,000 new workers globally, welcoming career changers from automotive and aerospace.

Health-related limits are also being updated. In mid-July 2026, the German Research Foundation (DFG) commission revised the maximum workplace concentration (MAK) and biological tolerance (BAT) values for ten substances, including manganese and its inorganic compounds. The Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs (BMAS) is reviewing whether to adopt these into law. Additionally, the DGUV now mandates at least one annual training session for staff working with electric and hydrogen vehicles.

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