09.12.2025 – The scope of environmental regulatory requirements for companies has steadily increased in recent years: A medium-sized enterprise now has to comply with several hundred environmental regulations. What this means for businesses is shown in the new DIHK Environmental Barometer. The survey of almost 1,700 companies across industries and regions reflects the current sentiment of the economy regarding environmental protection policy.

The results show: While many companies recognize the contribution of regulations to environmental protection and social responsibility, implementation in business practice is often challenging. For instance, one in three companies states they need to spend up to five hours per week solely on the administrative burden posed by environmental regulations. For more than one in four companies, this workload even exceeds eight hours per week. This time commitment is accompanied by continuous personnel and material costs, which two out of three companies perceive as a burden.

Major differences between sectors
“Our economy can only remain strong in the long-run if we operate sustainably and protect our environment,” says Achim Dercks, Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the German Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DIHK). “Excessive documentation requirements, overblown bureaucracy, and overly detailed regulations often burden companies and hinder effective environmental protection and their commitment.”

The impact varies significantly by sector – companies thus assess the effects of environmental protection policy on their competitiveness differently: Across industries, regulations for circular economy are particularly relevant (45%). For the industrial sector, additional demands related to dealing with chemicals and hazardous substances (28%) also play a role, while for construction businesses, regulations on soil protection and contamination (27%) are important. In the trade sector, product-specific regulations such as those for packaging and electrical devices (51%) pose significant challenges. Small and medium-sized businesses are especially burdened by a lack of qualified personnel (20%) and the complexity of communicating with authorities (31%).

Reducing reporting obligations and advancing digitalisation
“Environmental protection is part of daily decision-making in businesses. Today, companies consider ecological factors in almost all areas of their operations: from procurement and production to investment decisions,” explains Dercks. To act more effectively, approximately nine out of ten companies wish for less bureaucracy, reliable framework conditions, and uniform regulations at both national and European levels.

“Political leaders urgently need to reduce reporting obligations, speed up approval processes and digitalisation efforts, and advance simplification of environmental regulations – especially through the upcoming EU environmental omnibus,” demands Dercks. “For planning security and practical regulations, the economy should also be involved early in legislative processes.”

The survey results are available for download here:
DIHK Environmental Barometer 2025 (PDF, 650 KB) (only available in German)