VSME report: how to create one, with Altopi's concrete example

You hear about VSME everywhere, but what does a finished VSME report actually look like? We’ve completed our own, using the full module, and we’re publishing it. Here’s what’s inside, what we learned while building it, and the method for doing the same exercise in your own company.

‍

Why we created our own VSME report

We support nearly 500 SMEs and mid-sized companies in their CSR efforts. It’s hard to recommend a sustainability reporting exercise without having done it ourselves.

The regulatory context is also a factor. Since July 30, 2025, the European Commission has recommended (Recommendation (EU) 2025/1710) the use of VSME for companies not subject to the CSRD. With the Omnibus, published in the Official Journal of the European Union on February 26, 2026, the CSRD now focuses on companies with more than 1,000 employees. Furthermore, a company subject to the CSRD can no longer demand information from a partner with fewer than 1,000 employees that exceeds the VSME requirements. For an SME, this report is becoming the standard response to questionnaires from clients, banks, and contractors.

To understand the general framework, our article on the VSME standard details the modules and the differences compared to ESRS. Here, we’re getting practical.

What exactly is a VSME report?

The VSME (Voluntary Sustainability Reporting Standard for SMEs) is the voluntary sustainability reporting standard for SMEs, developed by EFRAG. It is divided into two modules:

• The basic module: eleven indicators (B1 to B11) covering the company's scope, sustainability practices, energy and greenhouse gas emissions, water, waste, workforce, health and safety, compensation, training, and anti-corruption.
• The full module: nine additional indicators (C1 to C9) on strategy, climate targets, climate risks, human rights, and governance.

We chose the full module. Our report is about forty pages long and was generated using the RSE Portal, the government's free public tool. It combines our HR data, energy consumption, and an estimate of our emissions, which is the basis of a carbon footprint. This is the type of deliverable we create for our clients as part of a CSR report.

Our VSME report in key figures

Environment

• 31.2 tonnes of CO₂e in total, according to our estimate.
• 99.7% in scope 3 (31.1 t), compared to 0.1 t in scopes 1 and 2.
• Purchases of goods and services account for 24.2 t, or more than three-quarters of the total. Next are leased assets (3.0 t), capital goods (1.6 t), commuting (1.4 t), and business travel (0.9 t).
• 2.9 MWh of electricity consumed, declared as renewable energy.

For a consulting firm, the item that matters isn't heating, but what we buy. This explains our choices: refurbished IT equipment, second-hand furniture, and joining the Supplier Relations and Responsible Purchasing Charter in 2023.

Social

• 13.6 employees, including 11 permanent contracts.
• 58% women (7.9 out of 13.6).
• 148 hours of training, or about 11 hours per employee (12.4 hours for women, 8.8 hours for men).
• 0 workplace accidents, 0 serious incidents regarding human rights.
• Between 80% and 100% of employees covered by a collective bargaining agreement.

Governance

• 0 convictions and 0 euros in fines for corruption.
• Formalized sustainability policies on 6 out of 10 issues reviewed, including 5 with quantified targets.

Our goals

• End of 2026: a new training offer on diversity. 2027: recycle 100% of our bio-waste, maintain at least 30% of the team trained in first aid, 0 corruption incidents. 2030: reduce the intensity of our carbon footprint by 42% compared to 2023.

What our first time taught us

Many indicators don't apply to your size, and that's normal

In our report, several indicators are marked "not applicable": staff turnover for companies under 50 employees, the gender pay gap for companies under 150 employees, and gender parity in management for companies under 50 employees. This doesn't mean the report is empty. It means the standard is proportionate: check the thresholds before looking for data that isn't required of you.

Scope 3 is the most important part, and the longest to build.

Scopes 1 and 2 of our report fit on a single line. Scope 3 fills almost the entire page because you have to trace your purchases item by item. Plan to spend most of your time on this, and start with your supplier list.

An honest "not accounted for" is better than made-up data.

We don't have data on our water usage yet, and our waste is limited to household waste. The report states this as is. The VSME doesn't expect perfection; it expects transparency and a trajectory. Our gaps today are our roadmap for next year.

The report reveals what still needs to be formalized.

While filling out the section on practices and policies, we saw in black and white that our policies weren't public yet, and that our responsible purchasing policy for the value chain was still "in development." Simply publishing this report already corrects the first point.

VSME, CSRD, EcoVadis: what is this report for from a client's perspective?

The VSME doesn't replace the CSRD or an EcoVadis assessment, but it feeds into them:

• When dealing with a client subject to the CSRD, it becomes your standard response. You submit one single report instead of filling out twenty different questionnaires. To understand the deadlines, check out our CSRD objective page. For an EcoVadis assessment, the energy, emissions, headcount, training, and policy data you gather for the VSME are the same ones EcoVadis will ask for. We achieved 91/100 and the
• EcoVadis Platinum medal: the work of gathering evidence is largely the same. Our EcoVadis support is based on this logic.

How to complete your VSME report in 5 steps

1. Define the scope and module. Basic module to quickly respond to client requests, full module if you want to structure your approach or respond to demanding tenders. Gather your basic data. Revenue, headcount by contract and gender, energy bills, training hours, workplace accidents. Measure your emissions. A carbon footprint covering all three scopes is the foundation for environmental indicators. Start with your purchases. Formalize your policies and targets. For each issue (climate, waste, personnel, ethics, value chain), indicate if a practice exists, if it is public, and if a target has been set. Generate and publish the report. The CSRD Portal produces a structured document. Review it, accept the "not applicable" and "not accounted for" entries, then publish it.

Do you have less time than data? That is exactly what we do for our clients: an assessment, a carbon footprint, and then a report ready to send to your principals.

FAQ

Is the VSME report mandatory? No. It is voluntary. It is the client, the financier, or the principal who will ask you for it, and the CSRD does not require anything from you as long as you remain below the thresholds.

What is the difference between a VSME report and a CSR report? The VSME report follows a standardized European structure (B1 to B11 and C1 to C9), which makes it comparable and faster to produce. A CSR report is more flexible, more narrative, and can use the VSME for its figures.

Can you do your VSME report with the CSR Portal? Yes, that is what we did. The tool is free and guides the entry process. The support is mainly used to collect the right data, calculate emissions, and make the result actionable.

Should you choose the basic module or the full module? The basic module is sufficient for most client requests. The full module provides strategy, targets, and climate risks: useful if you want to manage your approach or respond to demanding tenders.

What should you do with "not applicable" indicators? You leave them as they are. The standard is proportionate to the size of the company, and an indicator that is below the threshold is not a shortcoming.

Do you have a project?

Do you want to complete your VSME report without spending weeks on it? We help you choose the right module, collect your data, and produce a report that your clients can use.

Book a 30-minute VSME diagnostic: contact us!

‍