Senior ESG Governance & Reporting Lead (EMEA)

The core mission is to make Berlin Packaging's EMEA sustainability reporting reliable and audit-ready. That means running the CSRD and ESRS implementation roadmap across the region: gap analysis, governance design, data collection, documentation and the disclosures themselves. This person defines who owns which datapoint, how it gets validated, when it is approved and what happens when a deadline slips. A large share of the work sits in ESG data management. The role leads the deployment and improvement of the ESGeo reporting platform across EMEA, covering user roles, data workflows, templates, contributor onboarding and quality controls. There is also a performance-management dimension: helping the EMEA Sustainability Manager turn priorities into KPIs, targets and roadmaps, then tracking progress with functional owners. Finally, the role coordinates audit and assurance readiness, acting as the day-to-day interface for external auditors and consultants, maintaining the evidence trail, and following up on findings until closure. Reporting to SteerCo, Executive Leadership and Board-level audiences also falls within scope, in alignment with the US team.

The clearest learning curve is CSRD and ESRS in practice. Berlin Packaging is building this capability across a multi-entity EMEA structure, so the candidate will see how the regulation translates into real governance decisions, not just framework theory. EU Taxonomy eligibility and alignment work adds a second layer, with genuine exposure to the Finance side of sustainability. There is also strong development in ESG data systems and controls. Deploying and refining the ESGeo platform across 15 countries builds skills in data architecture, calculation methodologies, quality checks and automation that transfer well to any large group. Working with external auditors and assurance providers on a recurring basis is another asset, since assurance readiness is becoming a standard expectation rather than a differentiator. Because the role touches Finance, Legal, Procurement, HR and QHSE, the candidate gains a broad view of how sustainability intersects with commercial and operational functions. Operating in a company that grows through acquisitions likely means repeated exposure to integrating new entities into a common reporting standard.

The posting asks for five to seven years in sustainability reporting, ESG governance, non-financial reporting, audit or adjacent fields, with a degree in sustainability, economics, finance, engineering or similar. More telling is the requirement to have coordinated complex cross-functional reporting programs internationally, which points to someone who has already run a reporting cycle end to end, not just contributed to one. Technically, the candidate should be fluent in CSRD, ESRS and EU Taxonomy, and comfortable with ESG data governance: definitions, controls, audit trails, evidence management. Hands-on experience with a reporting platform such as ESGeo is preferred, and familiarity with business-intelligence tools helps. Prior involvement in assurance or internal-control work is described as a strong advantage, which suggests audit-facing confidence matters as much as regulatory knowledge. On the softer side, the role rewards structure, analytical rigour and attention to detail, plus the ability to explain technical requirements to non-specialists. English is required; Italian, French, Spanish or German would help given the EMEA footprint. The company culture prizes decisiveness and cross-functional collaboration, so a self-directed, pragmatic profile fits better than someone needing tight direction.

Lead with the reporting cycle you have owned, not the frameworks you have read about. Berlin Packaging needs someone who has coordinated CSRD or equivalent non-financial reporting across multiple legal entities, so describe the scope concretely: how many entities, which functions contributed, what governance you designed, how you handled gaps and how the data held up under review. Because audit readiness is a named responsibility, give evidence of assurance or internal-control work. If you have been the interface for external auditors, say so, and mention how you maintained evidence trails or closed findings. Experience with a reporting platform such as ESGeo is worth naming explicitly, as is any data-quality or automation work, since the posting emphasises standardization of collection processes. Finally, tune the application to a company that grows through acquisitions and describes itself as entrepreneurial. Showing how you onboarded new entities or new data owners into an existing reporting standard will resonate more than generic sustainability enthusiasm. If you speak Italian, French, Spanish or German alongside English, make that visible early, given the 15-country footprint and the Italian base.

The role is squarely on the governance and reporting side of ESG rather than on operational decarbonization. Expect the bulk of the work to concern CSRD and ESRS compliance, EU Taxonomy assessment and the data infrastructure that supports both. For a packaging supplier, the taxonomy angle is likely to involve questions about which activities qualify as environmentally sustainable, which requires close work with Finance. Because Berlin Packaging EMEA spans 15 countries and operates as a hybrid supplier of glass, plastic and metal packaging, reporting consistency across entities is a live issue. The role will probably spend significant time on definitions and methodologies that must align with the US team, so global consistency is part of the sustainability agenda, not a side task. The social and governance dimensions appear through data ownership, controls and assurance rather than through programme design. Employee-related and supply-chain metrics may enter the reporting scope via HR and Procurement, but the candidate's contribution is making those numbers traceable and comparable rather than running the underlying initiatives.

The hardest part is likely the regulatory timeline colliding with data reality. CSRD and ESRS demand information that many organisations simply do not collect today, and a company assembled through acquisitions may hold data in inconsistent formats across 15 countries. Building governance that works in all of them, while the rules themselves keep shifting, requires patience and a tolerance for iteration. A second challenge is influence without direct authority. The role depends on Finance, Legal, Procurement, HR and QHSE contributors who have their own priorities and deadlines. Keeping them to a reporting calendar, chasing gaps and escalating when needed is a relational task as much as a technical one, and the posting's emphasis on escalation mechanisms hints that this friction is expected. Balancing EMEA needs with global alignment is another tension. Definitions and priorities must stay consistent with the US team, which can slow local decisions or create competing interpretations. Add assurance scrutiny on top, and the role requires someone comfortable defending methodology choices under external review.

Much of the day is likely spent in coordination and follow-up. That could mean a working session with Finance on EU Taxonomy eligibility, a call with the US team to align data definitions, or a check-in with contributors on outstanding datapoints in the ESGeo platform. Between meetings, the role involves reviewing submissions for completeness, updating documentation and flagging inconsistencies to data owners. During reporting cycles, the rhythm shifts toward consolidation and review: validating figures, preparing management updates and ensuring the approval flow has been followed. Audit periods bring a different pattern again, with evidence collection, auditor queries and tracking of findings and remediation actions. There is also quieter analytical work, such as refining calculation rules, improving templates or designing a control procedure. Given the smart working policy allows up to two days remote per week, the office days probably carry the collaborative sessions while focused data work may happen at home.

The role sits at the centre of a capability that most companies are still building, which creates visibility. Coordinating reporting for SteerCo, Executive Leadership and Board-level audiences puts the work in front of senior decision-makers, and successful delivery of CSRD readiness is a demonstrable achievement in a scarce skill area. That combination tends to accelerate progression, whether toward a broader EMEA sustainability leadership role or a group-level reporting position. Skill growth is likely in two directions. One is regulatory depth: mastering ESRS, EU Taxonomy and assurance expectations as they evolve. The other is systems and process: platform deployment, data governance and automation, which are transferable to any large multinational. Working alongside the EMEA Sustainability Manager also offers a view of how strategy is set, not just how it is reported. Berlin Packaging's acquisition-driven growth could create lateral openings as new entities join the EMEA perimeter. Someone who proves able to integrate them into the reporting standard becomes a natural candidate for wider scope.

The closest working relationship is with the EMEA Sustainability Manager, who sets priorities and whom this role supports in translating regulatory requirements into governance and plans. The US and global sustainability teams are the other constant counterpart, since definitions, methodologies and reporting outputs need to stay aligned across regions. Internally, the role depends on data and control owners in Finance, Legal, Procurement, HR and QHSE. These are contributors rather than reports, so interactions centre on clarifying requirements, agreeing ownership and chasing deadlines. Finance is likely the most involved, given the EU Taxonomy work and the integration of sustainability metrics into business planning and management reporting. Externally, the role is the day-to-day interface for consultants, auditors and assurance providers, which involves managing evidence requests and reviewing findings. Governance audiences, including SteerCo, Executive Leadership and the Board, are periodic stakeholders who receive the reporting outputs this role helps prepare.