Omnibus I and CSRD: What the Changes Mean for Music and Events

In late February 2026, the Council of the European Union adopted the final text of the Omnibus I Directive, formally simplifying elements of the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) and the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD).

At first glance, the message appears straightforward: sustainability reporting requirements have been reduced. However, for music, media and live events, the reality is more nuanced.

Omnibus I narrows the scope of CSRD. It does not narrow the expectations placed on the major sponsors, parent companies and broadcasters embedded in the entertainment ecosystem.

In many cases, scrutiny is becoming more concentrated: not less.

That’s why in this update we discuss: 

• What is Omnibus I and what has changed?
• Why this matters to music, media and live events 
• Scope has narrowed, but have expectations?
• What Ombinus I hasn’t changed
• What Ombinus I means for event organisers and rights holders
• What entertainment organisations should do now

Let's start from the top.

What Is Omnibus I and What Has Changed?

Omnibus I is part of the EU’s simplification agenda, aimed at reducing administrative burden and increasing competitiveness.

Under the revised framework:

• CSRD now applies to companies with more than 1,000 employees and
• More than €450 million in annual net turnover

For third-country (non-EU) undertakings, reporting applies where EU turnover thresholds are met at the parent and subsidiary levels.

The changes significantly reduce the number of companies directly required to file CSRD disclosures. In parallel, amendments to the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD) raise its thresholds and delay implementation timelines.

The headline narrative is simplification… but simplification does not mean reversal.

The companies that remain in scope are the largest and most visible in the European economy. And those are the companies most closely connected to large-scale entertainment.

Why This Matters to Music, Media and Live Events

The live events ecosystem is shaped by:

• Global sponsors in banking, insurance and FMCG
• Listed promoters and parent companies
• International broadcasters and streaming platforms
• Major rights holders and venue operators

Many of these organisations exceed the revised CSRD thresholds and must report under the European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS). They must also disclose Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions, conduct double materiality assessments, articulate governance oversight, and, their sustainability disclosures are subject to assurance.

When those organisations sponsor a European stadium tour, activate at a major festival or broadcast a global awards ceremony, the environmental footprint of that event may sit within their value chain reporting.

That does not change under Omnibus I.

Scope Has Narrowed. Expectations Haven’t.

Omnibus I significantly reduces the number of companies directly required to report under CSRD. The revised thresholds concentrate reporting obligations among larger corporates. 

However, the organisations most likely to remain in scope are the same ones that shape live entertainment at scale: global sponsors, listed parent groups, broadcasters and multinational brands.

Where those entities must disclose Scope 3 emissions under ESRS, the impacts linked to sponsored tours, festivals and broadcasts do not disappear. They sit within value chain reporting. 

Sector-wide data already shows that live music operates at a meaningful scale. The UK outdoor events sector alone accounts for at least 170,000 tonnes of CO2 annually. Large-format productions can generate emissions measured in the thousands of tonnes per event.

In a CSRD reporting context, impacts of that magnitude are difficult to categorise as peripheral. Materiality is determined by scale and risk: not by contractual control over every emissions source. 

As reporting obligations concentrate within major corporatese, those organisations will increasingly require: 

• Defined carbon accounting boundaries
• Documented methodologies
• Clear treatment of Scope 3 categories
• Governance clarity around sustainability disclosures

Omnibus I reduces direct reporting burden for many companies: it does not, however, remove the commercial expectations for defensible data within entertainment.

What Omnibus I Doesn’t Change

Despite threshold adjustments, several structural elements remain intact:

• ESRS remains the mandatory reporting framework for in-scope companies.
• Double materiality assessments remain central.
• Scope 3 emissions remain disclosable and material.
• Governance oversight must be articulated.
• Limited assurance over sustainability information continues.

In other words, the architecture of CSRD remains.

For major sponsors and listed parent groups, sustainability reporting is already embedded in annual disclosure cycles. Where entertainment partnerships form part of their value chain exposure, scrutiny will reflect that.

What Ombinus I Means for Event Organisers and Rights Holders

Omnibus I changes who must file a CSRD report. It does not change the fact that live events sit within the commercial ecosystems of companies that do.

In practical terms, this means organisers may increasingly be asked to provide:

• Scope 1–3 emissions data or the inputs needed to calculate it
• Clear reporting boundaries (what is included and excluded)
• Methodology notes for high-impact categories such as travel and freight
• Evidence of transition planning
• Clarity around governance and sign-off processes

These requests are unlikely to arrive framed as “regulatory compliance.” They will arrive through sponsorship negotiations, investor queries, procurement processes and partnership reviews.

And, they will increasingly reflect ESRS logic and assurance expectations.

What Entertainment Organisations Should Do Now

With reporting obligations concentrated among larger corporates, sustainability conversations in entertainment are likely to become more focused. 

For event organisers, promoters and rights holders, the question is: are you operating as a peripheral supplier? Or as a structured partner within a regulated supply chain? 

The advantage here lies with organisations that can demonstrate: 

• Clear and consistent emissions boundaries
• Stability in methodology across reporting cycles
• Defined ownership of sustainability information
• And, the ability to explain assumptions confidently when asked

The industry now has greater visibility into its impact than at any previous point. The next step here is consolidation: strengthening the systems already in place so they can stand up to more concentrated scrutiny. 

While Omnibus I reduces the reporting population, it increases the importance of being structurally prepared if you operate within it. 

Looking Beyond the Headlines

Omnibus I changes who is required to report under CSRD. Fewer companies will fall within scope.

But in music, media and live events, the commercials are shaped by the organisations that remain inside it. Sponsors, broadcasters and parent groups now reporting under ESRS are working within more structured disclosure cycles. This influences partnership conversations, sustainability due diligence and how claims are assessed.

For organisers operating at scale, the practical implication is simple: if you are part of a major brand’s value chain, you may be part of their reporting environment.

If you want a deeper look at what CSRD requires in practice, including Scope 3 disclosure, double materiality and how the directive applies to live entertainment, read our full guide: CSRD is Evolving Festivals and Live Events: Are You Ready?

At Hope Solutions, we work across music, media and live events to help organisations navigate this shift: strengthening measurement, governance and reporting so sustainability commitments reflect operational reality.

Are your current systems strong enough to stand up to that scrutiny? Get in touch today to find out.