Annals of the Academy of Romanian Scientists  
Series on Engineering Sciences  
ISSN 2066-6950  
Volume 18, Number 1/2026  
74  
SUSTAINABILITY REPORTING AND FINANCIAL  
TRANSPARENCY: DISCLOSING OPEX, CAPEX,  
AND TURNOVER IN LINE WITH THE EU TAXONOMY  
Gabriel VASILESCU1, Larisa BASICA2,  
Cristina TATARCAN3, Augustin SEMENESCU4  
Rezumat. Acest articol se concentrează pe domeniul aflat în continuă evoluție a raportării  
privind sustenabilitatea corporativă, concentrându-se pe practicile de publicare a cheltu-  
ielilor operaționale (OPEX), a cheltuielilor de capital (CAPEX) și a cifrei de afaceri în  
conformitate cu Taxonomia UE. Având în vedere că Taxonomia UE stabilește standardele  
pentru ceea ce constituie activități durabile din punct de vedere ecologic, în consecință,  
companiile se confruntă cu o presiune tot mai mare pentru a-și alinia declarațiile financi-  
are. Articolul studiază cerințele de raportare ale Taxonomiei UE, explorând date despre  
modul în care companiile își aliniază declarațiile financiare cu criteriile specifice stabilite  
de Taxonomia UE. În corpul de conținut al articolului sunt evidențiate provocările comune  
cu care se confruntă companiile atunci când încearcă să își alinieze declarațiile financiare  
cu Taxonomia UE.  
Abstract. This article concentrates on the evolving landscape of corporate sustainability  
reporting, focusing on practices for disclosing operational expenditure (OPEX), capital  
expenditure (CAPEX), and turnover in compliance with the EU Taxonomy. With the EU  
Taxonomy setting the standards for what constitutes environmentally sustainable activities,  
companies face increasing pressure to align their financial disclosures accordingly. The  
article studies the EU Taxonomy reporting requirements exploring data on how companies  
align their financial disclosures with the specific criteria set out by the EU Taxonomy.  
Common challenges that companies face when trying to align their financial disclosures  
with the EU Taxonomy are highlighted in the body of the article.  
Keywords: sustainability reporting, financial transparency, EU Taxonomy  
DOI  
1Senior Researcher I, Habil. PhD, Eng., National Institute for Research and Development in Mine  
Safety and Protection to Explosion, Chief Laboratory of Explosives Materials and Pyrotechnic  
Articles INCD INSEMEX of Petrosani, Petrosani, Romania (e-mail:  
2PhD, Independent Researcher, Bucharest, Romania (larisagavrila@gmail.com )  
3PhD, National Science and Technology University Politehnica Bucharest, Bucharest, Romania  
4Professor, PhD, Eng. Mat. Ec., National Science and Technology University Politehnica  
Bucharest, Bucharest, Romania, Full Member of Academy of Romanian Scientists; (e-mail:  
74  
       
Sustainability reporting and financial transparency: disclosing OPEX, CAPEX,  
and turnover in line with the EU taxonomy  
75  
1. Introduction  
The accelerating shift toward sustainable business practices has transformed  
the way companies measure, manage, and communicate their economic and envi-  
ronmental performance. As global stakeholders demand clearer evidence of corpo-  
rate responsibility, sustainability reporting has evolved from a voluntary exercise  
into a strategic imperative. This transformation is particularly visible in the Euro-  
pean Union, where regulatory initiatives such as the EU Taxonomy have redefined  
expectations for transparency in financial and non-financial disclosures. By estab-  
lishing a unified classification system for environmentally sustainable activities, the  
EU Taxonomy compels companies to reassess how they report operational expendi-  
ture (OPEX), capital expenditure (CAPEX), and turnover in relation to sustainabil-  
ity objectives.  
This article examines the evolving landscape of sustainability reporting with  
a focus on the disclosure of OPEX, CAPEX, and turnover in accordance with the  
EU Taxonomy. It explores the regulatory foundations of Taxonomy, outlines best  
practices for transparent reporting, and analyzes the practical difficulties companies  
encounter in achieving alignment. Through this lens, the study underscores the crit-  
ical role of robust, taxonomy-aligned financial disclosures in fostering sustainable  
economic development and enhancing stakeholder trust.  
2. Literature Review  
Evolution of Sustainability Reporting  
Sustainability reporting has become central to corporate governance, reflect-  
ing the recognition that long‑term success depends on environmental and social re-  
sponsibilitya shift that accelerated in the late 1990s and early 2000s (Hahn &  
Kühnen, 2013).  
Growing pressures from climate change, resource scarcity, and inequality  
have further elevated its importance, with frameworks like TCFD promoting clearer  
and more comparable disclosures. Empirical evidence links sustainability perfor-  
mance to financial outcomes, with Eccles et al. showing that firms with strong sus-  
tainability practices outperform peers, and broader studies confirming positive cor-  
relations with stock market performance (Eccles et al., 2014; Friede et al., 2015).  
The EU Taxonomy reinforces this trend by requiring companies to report OPEX,  
CAPEX, and turnover against environmental objectives, embedding sustainability  
directly into financial metrics.  
Financial Transparency as a Foundation for Sustainable Governance  
Financial transparency is a cornerstone of effective corporate governance  
and a prerequisite for building trust with stakeholders. It involves the open disclo-  
sure of financial information that enables investors, regulators, and the public to  
76  
Gabriel Vasilescu, Larisa Basica, Cristina Tatarcan, Augustin Semenescu  
understand an organization’s operations and performance. Bushman et. al. highlight  
that transparent firms tend to exhibit stronger governance practices and superior  
financial outcomes (Bushman et. al., 2010).  
Transparency reduces information asymmetry and supports informed stake-  
holder decisions, with Ernst & Young reporting that 60% of institutional investors  
see insufficient transparency as a major barrier to investment (Ernst & Young,  
2017). It is also essential for regulatory compliance, lowering legal risks and  
strengthening reputational capital; Francis et al. show that transparency‑driven  
compliance improves stakeholder relationships and builds brand loyalty (Francis et  
al., 2004). In addition, financial transparency enhances risk management by reveal-  
ing issues early and enabling timely corrective action.  
The digitalization of financial reporting has amplified expectations for trans-  
parency. With real-time access to information, stakeholders demand timely and ac-  
curate disclosures. McKinsey notes that companies embracing digital transparency  
outperform competitors by building stronger customer and investor relationships in  
an information-driven economy (McKinsey & Company, 2021).  
The EU Taxonomy: Purpose, Structure, and Implications  
The EU Taxonomy represents one of the most ambitious regulatory initia-  
tives in sustainable finance. It establishes a unified classification system for envi-  
ronmentally sustainable economic activities, aiming to redirect capital flows toward  
investments that support the EU’s climate and environmental objectives. Alessi et  
al. describe Taxonomy as a tool that guides investors and companies through the  
transition to a low-carbon, resource-efficient economy (Alessi et al., 2021).  
The EU Taxonomy supports the European Green Deal’s 2050 climate‑neu-  
tral goal by steering private capital toward sustainable activities, but it also brings  
challenges, including limited data, complex screening criteria, and the need for spe-  
cialized expertise. Nevertheless, Schütze et al. argue that the Taxonomy has the  
potential to transform investment practices and accelerate sustainable economic  
growth (Schütze et al., 2023).  
Operational Expenditure (OPEX) in Sustainability Reporting  
OPEX refers to the day-to-day expenses required to operate a business, in-  
cluding salaries, utilities, maintenance, and rent. Garrison et al. [17] define OPEX  
as the ongoing cost of running a product, business, or system. Effective OPEX man-  
agement is essential for profitability and operational efficiency. Bragg emphasizes  
that optimizing OPEX is crucial for maintaining competitive advantage and  
long-term sustainability.  
OPEX is central to financial reporting, shaping metrics like operating mar-  
gin and EBITDA, which investors widely use to assess performance (Drury). Under  
the EU Taxonomy, firms must disclose the share of OPEX tied to taxonomy‑eligible  
Sustainability reporting and financial transparency: disclosing OPEX, CAPEX,  
and turnover in line with the EU taxonomy  
77  
and taxonomy‑aligned activities—a shift in reporting highlighted by Dusík and  
Streurer. Eligibility refers to activities listed in the regulation, while alignment re-  
quires meeting technical screening criteria, a distinction Alessi et al. stress as es-  
sential for accurately evaluating sustainability performance. The Taxonomy focuses  
on OPEX linked to maintaining and operating assets that support sustainable activ-  
ities, ensuring disclosures reflect environmental performance rather than general  
operating costs, as argued by LaꢀTorre et al.  
Best practices for OPEX reporting include robust data collection systems,  
cross-functional collaboration, transparent methodologies, and integration of Tax-  
onomy criteria into budgeting processes. Muñoz-Torres et al. emphasize the need  
for granular data, while Zannakis et al. highlight the importance of breaking down  
organizational silos.  
Capital Expenditure (CAPEX) and Long-Term Sustainability  
CAPEX refers to investments in long-term assets such as equipment, build-  
ings, and technology. Berk and DeMarzo define CAPEX as expenditures that en-  
hance or maintain productive capacity. CAPEX decisions significantly influence  
future cash flow and firm valuation. Damodaran underscores the strategic im-  
portance of CAPEX in shaping long-term growth.  
Unlike OPEX, which is expensed immediately, CAPEX is capitalized and  
depreciated over time, reflecting its long-term contribution to earnings. Weygandt  
et al. explain that this accounting treatment aligns with the enduring nature of cap-  
ital investments.  
At the macroeconomic level, CAPEX is a key indicator of economic health.  
Aghion et al. show that aggregate CAPEX levels correlate with growth prospects,  
prompting governments to use fiscal policies to stimulate investment.  
Under the EU Taxonomy, companies must disclose the share of CAPEX that is  
taxonomy‑aligned, a requirement applying to firms under the NFRD (Freiberg et al.).  
CAPEX alignment is crucial because it signals a company’s future sustainability path-  
way, and Schütze et al. stress that it must support at least one environmental objective  
without harming others. Best practices include integrating sustainability into capital  
allocation, creating classification systems aligned with technical criteria, establishing  
strong governance, and offering transparent explanations of investment choices. Eccles  
and Klimenko highlight the need for strategic integration, while Christensen et al. em-  
phasize transparency. Scenario analysis is increasingly used to test CAPEX resilience  
under varying climate and regulatory conditions, as noted by Chenet et al.  
Turnover and Its Role in Sustainability Assessment  
Turnover represents the total revenue generated from a company’s primary  
activities. Kotler and Armstrong define turnover as gross sales income before de-  
ductions. Turnover is a key indicator of market performance, growth, and  
78  
Gabriel Vasilescu, Larisa Basica, Cristina Tatarcan, Augustin Semenescu  
competitive positioning. Novy-Marx finds that turnover can predict stock returns,  
while Porter argues that turnover relative to competitors reveals strategic strength.  
Turnover also plays a role in financial ratios such as asset turnover, which  
measures how efficiently a company uses its assets to generate revenue. Fairfield  
and Yohn show that changes in asset turnover can predict future profitability.  
Under the EU Taxonomy, companies must report the share of turnover from  
taxonomy‑aligned activities, a key indicator of a firm’s current sustainability profile  
(Schütze et al.). Turnover, together with CAPEX and OPEX, provides a compre-  
hensive view of alignment (LaꢀTorre et al.). Assessing turnover requires evaluating  
activities against technical screening criteria and ensuring they contribute to envi-  
ronmental objectives without causing significant harm, guided by the six objectives  
outlined by Tölös et al.  
Challenges in Aligning Financial Disclosures with EU Taxonomy  
Aligning financial disclosures with the EU Taxonomy presents significant  
challenges. Taxonomy’s breadth and complexity require companies to analyze di-  
verse activities across multiple sectors.  
Integrating the Taxonomy into existing reporting systems demands new pro-  
cesses, metrics, and coordination, often requiring upgraded data systems, new  
methodologies, and staff training. Evolving delegated acts add regulatory uncer-  
tainty, while meeting minimum social safeguards increases complexity. Still, re-  
search shows that Taxonomy alignment ultimately improves data quality, govern-  
ance, and strategic planning.  
Summary of Literature Review Findings  
The literature demonstrates that sustainability reporting and financial tran-  
sparency have become essential components of modern corporate governance. The  
EU Taxonomy represents a transformative regulatory framework that integrates en-  
vironmental sustainability into financial reporting through the disclosure of OPEX,  
CAPEX, and turnover.  
While Taxonomy offers significant benefitsenhanced transparency, im-  
proved investor confidence, and alignment with environmental objectives, it also  
presents substantial challenges. Companies must navigate complex technical crite-  
ria, address data gaps, integrate new reporting processes, and adapt to evolving re-  
gulatory expectations.  
3. Methodology  
This study adopts a quantitative, exploratory research design aimed at exa-  
mining how companies disclose OPEX, CAPEX, and turnover in alignment with  
the EU Taxonomy and how these disclosures relate to sustainability performance,  
as measured through ESG Risk Ratings. The methodology combines descriptive  
Sustainability reporting and financial transparency: disclosing OPEX, CAPEX,  
and turnover in line with the EU taxonomy  
79  
analysis, comparative assessment, and statistical modelling, enabling both a struc-  
tural overview of reporting practices and an evaluation of relationships between  
Taxonomy‑related financial indicators and ESG risk.  
The research design is structured around two main components: A cross‑in-  
dustry case study of EU Taxonomy disclosures for the 2023 reporting year; A mul-  
tiple linear regression analysis assessing the relationship between taxonomy‑eligi-  
ble but not aligned financial indicators and ESG Risk Ratings.  
4. Case Study  
For the next case study, we have considered thirty-six companies that have  
issued their 2023 EU Taxonomy Annual reports. The selected companies cover a  
wide range of industries like auto components, automobiles, chemicals, construc-  
tion & engineering, construction materials, diversified financials, electrical  
equipment, healthcare, household products, machinery, paper & forestry, pharma-  
ceuticals, retailing, semi-conductors, steel industry, software, technology hardware,  
telecommunications, transportation, and utilities.  
In Figure 1 we can notice that 44% of the companies analyzed have zero  
taxonomy-my aligned turnover activities, meaning no sales activities are generated  
by sustainable activities, 31% of the companies have taxonomy aligned sales acti-  
vities that make less than 10% of their total turnover. Only 25% of the companies  
exceed the 10% and even fewer (3 companies) exceed 50% of their total turnover  
from sustainable activities. Only two companies have their entire turnover genera-  
ted by sustainable activities, Alfen that operates in the electrical equipment sector  
and Scatec, who activities in the utilities sector.  
Turnover of environmentally sustainable activities  
(taxonomy-aligned) (A.1)  
Companies with ZERO  
taxonomy alligned  
turnover activities  
25%  
31%  
Companies having below  
10% taxanomy aligned  
turnover activities  
44%  
Companies having above  
10% taxanomy aligned  
turnover activities  
Fig. 1. The company’s distribution based on declared turnover of environmentally sustainable  
activities (taxonomy-aligned).5  
5 Source: Authors’ own research  
 
80  
Gabriel Vasilescu, Larisa Basica, Cristina Tatarcan, Augustin Semenescu  
Figure 2 depicts the company’s distribution based on declared turnover of  
taxonomy-eligible but not environmentally sustainable activities (not taxonomy-  
aligned activities) and it demonstrates the scale of improvement that is possible to  
turn eligible but environmentally sustainable activities into taxonomy-aligned acti-  
vities. Only 11% of companies have declared that there are no sustainable activities  
eligible as part of the turnover, 28% companies can reach up to 10% improvement  
in the field while 61% of the companies can look at even higher rates of impro-  
vements to accommodate sustainable growth. 31% of the companies can improve  
their turnover markup by more than 50%, and three companies that activate in the  
sectors of transportation, healthcare and semiconductors production can go over  
90%.  
Turnover of taxonomy-eligible but not  
environmentally sustainable activities (not  
taxonomy-aligned activities) (A.2)  
Companies with no  
turnover activities that are  
taxonomy eligible  
11%  
Companies with the  
28%  
potential to align up to 10%  
of turnover  
61%  
Companies with the  
potential to align more than  
10% of turnover  
Fig. 2. The company’s distribution based on declared turnover of taxonomy-eligible  
but not environmentally sustainable activities (not taxonomy-aligned activities).6  
Figures 3 and Figure 4 focus on how capitalized investments are made from  
the perspective of sustainability. 39% of the companies have not made investments  
in acquiring, upgrading, or maintaining long-term assets such as property, plant,  
and equipment that are taxonomy aligned. 22% of the companies have invested less  
than 10% of their CAPEX in environmentally sustainable activities. It is also wor-  
thwhile mentioning that there are two companies in the utilities sector that have  
managed to concentrate almost their entire CAPEX spend (96.4% and 97%) on sus-  
tainable activities as part of their investment strategy.  
6
Source: Authors’ own research  
 
Sustainability reporting and financial transparency: disclosing OPEX, CAPEX,  
and turnover in line with the EU taxonomy  
81  
CAPEX of environmentally sustainable  
activities (taxonomy-aligned) (A.1)  
Companies with ZERO  
taxonomy alligned CAPEX  
activities  
Companies having below  
10% taxanomy aligned  
CAPEX activities  
39%  
39%  
Companies having above  
10% taxanomy aligned  
CAPEX activities  
22%  
Fig. 3. The company’s distribution based on declared CAPEX of environmentally  
sustainable activities (taxonomy-aligned).7  
Figure 4 demonstrates the scale of improvement that can be achieved when  
it comes to sustainable investments. Only 3% of the companies declared that there  
are no CAPEX activities that are taxonomy eligible while more than 25% can im-  
prove their CAPEX spend percentage to 10% and most of the companies (72%) can  
exceed the 10%. Two companies have declared that potentially their entire CAPEX  
investment could turn into sustainable activities as they are already eligible accor-  
ding to EU Taxonomy.  
CAPEX of taxonomy-eligible but not  
environmentally sustainable activities (not  
taxonomy-aligned activities) (A.2)  
Companies with no CAPEX  
activities that are taxonomy  
eligible  
3%  
25%  
Companies with the potential  
to align up to 10% of their  
CAPEX  
72%  
Companies with the potential  
to align more than 10% of  
their CAPEX  
Fig. 4. The company’s distribution based on declared CAPEX of taxonomy-eligible  
but not environmentally sustainable activities (not taxonomy-aligned activities).8  
Figure 5 depicts what percentages of the ongoing cost for running the busi-  
ness go into sustainable activities. 44% have no OPEX transactions aligned with  
the EU taxonomy while 31% of the companies spend less than 10% of their daily  
operations on sustainable activities but there also companies (25%) that exceed the  
10% cap and two companies have declared impressive percentages such as 97%  
7 Source: Authors’ own research  
8 Source: Authors’ own research  
   
82  
Gabriel Vasilescu, Larisa Basica, Cristina Tatarcan, Augustin Semenescu  
and 100%, meaning that almost all their entire operations activities cost is taxonomy  
aligned.  
OPEX of environmentally sustainable  
activities (taxonomy-aligned) (A.1)  
Companies with ZERO  
taxonomy alligned OPEX  
activities  
Companies having below  
10% taxanomy aligned  
25%  
44%  
OPEX activities  
Companies having above  
31%  
10% taxanomy aligned  
OPEX activities  
Fig. 5. The company’s distribution based on declared OPEX of environmentally  
sustainable activities (taxonomy-aligned).9  
Figure 6 demonstrates areas of improvement, even though 19% companies  
have declared that there are no OPEX activities that are taxonomy eligible, 25% of  
the companies mentioned that they could align up to 10% of their OPEX while 56%  
could go higher than 10%.  
OPEX of taxonomy-eligible but not  
environmentally sustainable activities (not  
taxonomy-aligned activities) (A.2)  
Companies with no OPEX  
activities that are taxonomy  
eligible  
19%  
Companies with the potential  
to align up to 10% of their  
OPEX  
56%  
25%  
Companies with the potential  
to align more than 10% of their  
OPEX  
Fig. 6. The company’s distribution based on declared OPEX of taxonomy-eligible  
but not environmentally sustainable activities (not taxonomy-aligned activities).10  
Moving forward, we created a multiple linear regression between the vari-  
ables ESG Risk Rating (source: Sustainalytics), CAPEX of taxonomy-eligible but  
not environmentally sustainable activities and OPEX of taxonomy-eligible but not  
environmentally sustainable activities. Main purpose is to determine whether there  
is a relationship between them and what is the nature of that relationship.  
9 Source: Authors’ own research  
10 Source: Authors’ own research  
   
Sustainability reporting and financial transparency: disclosing OPEX, CAPEX,  
and turnover in line with the EU taxonomy  
83  
ESG Risk Rating = 18.612816 + 0.13652 CAPEX of taxonomy-eligible but  
not environmentally sustainable activities - 0.12531 OPEX of taxonomy-eligible  
but not environmentally sustainable activities.  
An ESG risk rating evaluates how well a company manages its Environmen-  
tal, Social, and Governance (ESG) factors, such as its impact on the environment,  
its relationship with employees and communities, and the quality of its corporate  
governance. The purpose of this rating is to help investors assess the non-financial  
risks that may affect the company's long-term performance and sustainability,  
beyond traditional financial metrics.  
Results of the multiple linear regression indicated that there was a moderate  
collective significant effect between the CAPEX of taxonomy-eligible but not en-  
vironmentally sustainable activities, OPEX of taxonomy-eligible but not environ-  
mentally sustainable activities, and ESG Risk Rating, (F(2, 33) = 6.09, p = 0.006,  
R2 = 0.27, R2adj = 0.23). The individual predictors were examined further and  
indicated that CAPEX of taxonomy-eligible but not environmentally sustainable  
activities (t = 3.235, p = 0.003) and OPEX of taxonomy-eligible but not environ-  
mentally sustainable activities (t = -3.153, p = 0.003).  
In our model a high ESG Risk Rating means a severe risk. Investors want to  
avoid companies that could face future liabilities or operational risks due to poor  
ESG practices, such as environmental lawsuits, labor strikes, or regulatory penal-  
ties. On the other hand, a strong ESG performance can open doors to new market  
opportunities, like green energy solutions or socially responsible products. A com-  
pany with strong ESG performance is often seen as being more adaptable to chan-  
ging global trends and better at maintaining long-term profitability.  
The above-mentioned linear regression demonstrates that if a company  
wants to lower the ESG Risk Rating, making it more attractive for potential inves-  
tors it needs to decrease the CAPEX of taxonomy-eligible but not environmentally  
sustainable activities and increase the OPEX of taxonomy-eligible but not environ-  
mentally sustainable activities.  
Table 1. Correlation Matrix  
A
1
B
0.222155  
1
C
ESG Risk Rating (A)  
CAPEX of taxonomy-eligible but not envi-  
ronmentally sustainable activities (B)  
-0.194192  
0.678038  
0.222155  
OPEX of taxonomy-eligible but not environ-  
mentally sustainable activities (C)  
-0.194192  
0.678038  
1
Source: Authors’ own research  
R square (R2) equals 0.269432. It means that the predictors ()) explain  
26.9% of the variance of Y. Adjusted R square equals 0.225156. The coefficient of  
84  
Gabriel Vasilescu, Larisa Basica, Cristina Tatarcan, Augustin Semenescu  
multiple correlation (R) equals 0.519069. It means that there is a moderate correla-  
tion between the predicted data (ŷ) and the observed data (y).  
(
)
Overall  
regression:  
right-tailed,  
퐹 2,33 = 6.085182, p-value  
=
0.00562854. Since p-value < (0.05), we reject the H0. The linear regression mo-  
del, 푌 = 푏0 + 푏11 + ⋯ + 푏+ 휀, provides a better fit than the model without  
the independent variables resulting in, 푌 = 푏0 + 휀. All the independent variables  
() are significant. The Y-intercept (b): two-tailed, T = 14.430029, p-value =  
8.88178e-16. Hence b is significantly different from zero.  
Fig. 7. Fdistribution11  
Residual normality  
Linear regression assumes normality for residual errors. Shapiro Wilk p-va-  
lue equals 0.9878. It is assumed that the data is normally distributed.  
Homoscedasticity - homogeneity of variance  
The White test p-value equals 0.0000221656 (F=15.091046). It is assumed  
that the variance is not homogeneous. The coefficients' estimators are unbiased but  
inefficient estimators with large inaccurate standard errors, hence the statistical tests  
over the model and the coefficients are not accurate.  
Multicollinearity - intercorrelations among the predictors ()  
There is no multicollinearity concern as all the VIF values are smaller than 2.5.  
5. Conclusions  
The EU Taxonomy stands as a pivotal initiative in the realm of sustainable fi-  
nance, offering a standardized framework for defining and promoting environmentally  
sustainable economic activities. As it continues to evolve and be implemented, its im-  
pact on investment decisions, corporate strategies, and environmental outcomes will be  
profound, shaping the trajectory of sustainable development in the EU.  
11 Source: Authors’ own research  
 
Sustainability reporting and financial transparency: disclosing OPEX, CAPEX,  
and turnover in line with the EU taxonomy  
85  
The EU Taxonomy provides a structured and comprehensive approach to  
defining environmentally sustainable activities. By establishing specific criteria  
across six key environmental objectives and adhering to the DNSH (do no signifi-  
cant harm) principle, it aims to promote transparency, consistency, and credibility  
in sustainable investment. This framework not only helps investors make informed  
decisions but also encourages companies to align their operations with broader en-  
vironmental goals, thereby contributing to a more sustainable future.  
The EU Taxonomy’s OPEX disclosure rules will have wide‑reaching effects  
by standardizing how companies report sustainability‑related operating expenses,  
improving transparency and comparability. Its CAPEX requirements similarly push  
firms to show how investment supports long‑term sustainable value creation, while  
turnover disclosures mark a major shift toward linking revenue directly to environ-  
mentally sustainable activities.  
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