How does a typical CSRD/ESRS project looks like and which issues are to be addressed?
Table of contents
Materiality analysis
Identification of material topics with the help of a materiality analysis involving the relevant stakeholders (in accordance with the materiality definition CSRD/ESRS and other frameworks) and ensuring the involvement of management
Fields of action
- Analysis of double materiality (incl. relevant non-financial risks in accordance with CSRD)
- Objective evaluation and prioritization of results as a basis for strategy development, reporting and key figures
- Derivation of work packages and necessary steps with regard to the management system and reporting
- Analysis of internal company structures and gap analysis
- Derivation of measures for the comprehensive implementation of regulatory requirements
EU-Taxonomy
- Analysis of specific requirements and identification of relevant criteria sets
- Review of business activities
- Process/system analysis of reporting processes (Turnover, CapEx, OpEx)
- Identification of necessary adjustments (processes, content, IT architecture)
Fields of action
- Analysis of all business activities with regard to their taxonomy capability (for the entire group of companies)
- Assessment of the taxonomy capability and conformity of business activities and obtaining evidence
- Analysis of system and process requirements (Group) with regard to data evaluation in accordance with taxonomy requirements
- Data collection and evaluation with regard to revenue shares, capex, opex
- Summarizing assumptions, documents and evidence and carrying out reports on trial runs and tests
- Reporting concept and reporting in accordance with Article 8 of the Taxonomy Regulation
Sustainability strategy
Development of a sustainability strategy, taking into account the opportunities for integration into the business strategy and definition and conception of measures, KPIs and governance structures to achieve the defined goals
Fields of action
- Definition of an integrated sustainability strategy (based on the materiality analysis) that has been formally adopted at management level
- Analysis of the integration possibilities of the sustainability strategy within the corporate strategy
- Binding and Group-wide definition of responsibilities and necessary governance structures
- Definition and conception of measures with time reference (ESG program) including presentation of results and KPIs
- Derivation of performance indicators relevant for internal controls and external reporting, gap analysis of existing and required KPls
- Creation of management concepts in close cooperation with the individual specialist managers and departments
Reporting
Development of a suitable reporting concept (incl. EU taxonomy) taking into account the regulatory requirements in accordance with CSRD/ESRS and EU taxonomy and development, implementation and documentation of appropriate standardized data collection and consolidation processes for the relevant qualitative and quantitative non-financial reporting content, including internal control concepts
Fields of action
- Ensuring that all relevant functions are made aware of the priority and relevance of the management concepts (top management committee, embedding in top management reporting)
- Creation of all necessary prerequisites for the design of the data collection processes
- Formalization of the reporting process to ensure continuity
- Definition of requirements for the data model, IT systems/reports, calculation and extrapolation methods, approval processes, escalation processes, KPI pyramid, etc (what/who/when/how/ … ) and documentation