RTL Group’s first CSRD report: upholding regulatory standards in sustainability reporting

This year, RTL Group reached a milestone with the publication of its first sustainability report in accordance with the European Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD). The report underlines RTL Group’s commitment to corporate responsibility and transparency.

To prepare for the implementation of the CSRD, RTL Group’s Corporate Centre had established a working group under the leadership of its CFO, Björn Bauer, comprising experts from HR, Legal, Finance/Consolidation, Communications & Investor Relations, Compliance, Internal Audit, IT and Risk Management.

Björn Bauer says: “This report reflects our strong commitment to a responsible, accountable, and sustainable business. The preparation was shaped by months of hard work and good collaboration across the Group. I would like to thank everyone who contributed to our first sustainability report.”

The sustainability report required planning, coordination, and collaboration across various departments and business units within RTL Group and Bertelsmann. Tasks ranged from aligning our internal practices with the CSRD requirements, conducting the double materiality assessment, and developing new processes, policies and related training materials. As a result, the report includes Group-wide ESG data as well as concrete actions and targets on our material topics.

The 64-page report – which is an integral part of the annual report – was audited by KPMG with limited assurance.

Our commitment

The sustainability report highlights RTL Group’s dedication to the health and wellbeing of our employees, reducing our environmental impact, and upholding our commitment to delivering high-quality content. Here are some examples:

• Our diversity target
  Our long-term ambition is for women and men to be represented equally at all levels. By the end of 2030, we aim to increase the percentage of women in top management positions to at least 40 per cent. At the end of 2024, women held 31 per cent of top management positions.
  
  
• Our climate target
  We are committed to protecting the environment and supporting the international target of limiting global warming. According to RTL Group’s current climate target, the greenhouse gas emissions reported in the base year 2018 are to be reduced by 50 per cent by 2030. By the end of 2024, RTL Group achieved a reduction of 30 per cent compared to 2018. Due to the revised methods for the calculation of greenhouse gas emissions in accordance with the new reporting requirements, an adjustment of the base year 2018 values and a revision of the 2030 target are planned for 2025.
  
  
• Our content
  Our news organisations strive for truthful, fair and impartial reporting, while protecting individual rights and shielding minors from inappropriate content. We ensure our output reflects the diversity of the various cultures we serve.
  
  

The sustainability report was managed by Katharina Kleff, Senior Manager Sustainability Reporting and Rebecca Haase, Senior Manager CR and Communications of RTL Group’s Communications & Investor Relations department. Thank you to everyone who contributed to the project!

Here you can read the full sustainability report.