The Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) is the new European regulation governing non-financial reporting. It replaces the DPEF in France and introduces stricter requirements for environmental, social, and governance (ESG) transparency.
The goal? To put an end to greenwashing and enable reliable comparisons between companies through a standardized reporting framework.
The CSRD aims to:
- Strengthen transparency regarding corporate CSR initiatives
- Impose a clear and verifiable framework to prevent greenwashing
- Integrate double materiality (the company's impact on the environment and vice versa)
- Create comparable ESG reporting across industry peers
The Non-Financial Performance Statement (DPEF) lacked clarity and consistency, making it impossible to compare companies' CSR performance. The CSRD addresses these gaps by mandating:
- Common standards (ESRS)
- A harmonized structure
- Precise and verifiable indicators
The CSRD applies to:
- Large companies meeting 2 out of the 3 following criteria:
More than 250 employees
Revenue > €40M
Total assets > €20M
- Listed SMEs (excluding micro-enterprises)
- Non-European companies with:
A subsidiary or branch in the EU
Revenue > €150M in the EU
The ESRS (European Sustainability Reporting Standards) are the standards that govern the CSRD. There are 12 in total, divided into:
- ESRS 1: General requirements
- ESRS 2: General disclosures
- ESRS E1 to E5: Climate, pollution, water, biodiversity, circular economy
- ESRS S1 to S4: Own workforce, value chain workers, affected communities, consumers and end-users
- ESRS G1: Business conduct
💡 These standards were adopted in July 2023.
It requires reporting on:
- Emissions to air, water, and soil
- Substances of concern used
- Financial effects related to pollution
The company must explain:
- Changes over time
- Calculation methods
- The data collection process
Common standards make it possible to compare CSR performance between companies in the same sector. You will therefore need to improve your ESG performance to stay competitive.
The CSRD requires:
- A mandatory external audit
- Independent verification of data
- Structured publication of ESG indicators
Example: a chemical company must report both:
- Its impact on water pollution
- The potential impact of this pollution on its business (regulations, reputation, costs)
Altopi helps you to:
- Identify the data to be collected
- Structure your reports to be ESRS compliant
- Drive your non-financial performance
We combine regulatory expertise with a SaaS tool to automate the collection and consolidation of your CSR metrics.
👉 Check out our CSRD Goal offer for a smooth and compliant rollout.
- The CSRD replaces the NFRD with stricter requirements
- 50,000 companies are affected in Europe
- 12 ESRS standards structure reporting obligations
- The principle of double materiality is central
- Support from a partner like Altopi optimizes compliance
Your company's sustainable performance
