CSRD Consultancy
Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD)
About the EU CSRD
The new EU regulation known as the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) mandates that all large corporations produce periodical reports on their environmental and social impact initiatives. It aids in the evaluation of large companies’ non-financial performance by stakeholders such as investors, consumers, policymakers, and others. As a result, it motivates these businesses to adopt more ethical business practises. For instance, it fundamentally alters the scope and nature of sustainability reporting for businesses. The CSRD marks the first time that the European Commission establishes a unified reporting structure for non-financial data.
When does the CSRD start?
The corporate sustainability reporting rule received final approval from the European Union Council on November 28, 2022. (CSRD). The CSRD legislative act was approved after the Council agreed with the European Parliament’s stance.
Compliance will soon take place because businesses must submit their CSRD-compliant report by 1 January 2025 for the 2024 fiscal year. For reporting organisations, it will be difficult because gathering data and auditing it is a time-consuming process. It is time to become an expert on the subject, and on that side, we have you covered, if your firm is not yet familiar with this rule and you are wondering if your organisation needs to comply.
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Non-Financial Reporting Directive
The CSRD vs. the NFRD
The ambitious and comprehensive Sustainable Finance Package was agreed by the European Commission on April 21, 2021, to aid in enhancing the flow of funding towards sustainable activities throughout the European Union. The Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive is one of the elements that are being suggested in the package (CSRD).
The Non-Financial Reporting Directive (NFRD), a legal framework that has required significant public interest entities to report on their sustainability performance since 2018, has been expanded in scope and reporting requirements by the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive.
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ESG reporting gained popularity and acceptance
Why was the CSRD introduced?
This new regulation has come into being because environmental, social, and governance (ESG) reporting has gained popularity and acceptance. There is proof that the information provided by the firms for reporting is insufficient. Reports “frequently omit information that investors and other stakeholders think is vital,” the European Commission claims. Users frequently doubt their ability to trust reported information because it can be challenging to compare it among companies. To report under the SFRD and direct funds to sustainable initiatives, for instance, investors must evaluate this information.
By developing a single reporting framework, the EU is addressing the issue of quality reporting with its new criteria. Additionally, the CSRD seeks to guarantee that corporations provide accurate and comparable sustainability data in order to refocus investments on enterprises and technologies that are more environmentally friendly.
Who must comply with the CSRD?
More than 50,000 companies will be impacted by CSRD, equating to more than 75 percent of business in the European Economic Area. CSRD will apply to all:
- Companies listed on regulated markets in the EU (apart from listed micro-enterprises), and large companies. The CSRD classifies a large company as one that meets two out of three of the following criteria: more than 250 employees, a turnover of over €40 million and over €20m total assets. These companies will also have to take into account information at subsidiary level.
- Listed SMEs, although there will be a transitional period when SMEs can opt out until 2028. However, there are big benefits for SMEs to comply with the reporting.
- Non-EU companies with a net turnover of €150 million in the EU, and with at least one subsidiary or branch in the union.
What must be reported under CSRD?
Companies will need to report on environmental, social, human rights, and governance issues in their sustainability reports, and in their annual reports, they must publish their data in a management report section.
Specific coverage must include:
- Science-based targets, EU Taxonomy, and climate risk reporting.
- Social and employee issues.
- Human rights.
- Anti-corruption.
- Company board diversity (in terms of age, gender, educational and professional background).
Companies must also disclose the retroactive and prospective impacts of the organisation over the short, medium, and long term. In this sense, the CSRD is much like the UK TCFD
EFRAG is developing these standards with technical advice from other European agencies. Standards will reflect EU policies and global initiatives. June 2023 should bring the first standards, but ESG PRO already has the preliminary frameworks loaded a “ready to go” so you can start your reporting.
The new directive also requires companies to upload their data to a digital open-access database. The European Commission (EC) says CSRD will lower companies’ reporting costs over time. The EC says that while initial costs may rise, “most companies will face an increase in costs anyway because of the growing demand from investors and other stakeholders for corporate sustainability information.”
The advantage of an ESG rating
We are confident that ESG PRO offers the only integrated ESG rating service without any additional auditing or verification costs. Securing an internationally recognised ESG rating is what helps to add value to your business.
From auditing through to in-depth corporate report writing, our clients save time and consultancy costs by trusting our ESG advisors to complete these processes in one seamless offering.
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