5 Best ESG reporting frameworks explained with examples — 2023 (2024)

ESG Reporting Frameworks Help Investors and Companies:

ESG is increasingly essential, and investors are incorporating ESG as it helps make profitable investments. On the other hand, businesses use ESG reporting to save waste and energy expenses, resulting in more strategic deployment of resources. The ESG reporting methodology gives investors, consumers, and employees a holistic insight into their sustainability initiatives. The report supports them in making necessary disclosures and complying with regulatory requirements.

The frameworks we’ll go through below offer a systematic way to evaluate a company’s sustainability performance, ESG-related risks, and opportunities, and their effects on the environment and society.

Types of ESG Frameworks

  1. IFRS sustainability disclosure standards
  2. GRI standards
  3. SASB standards
  4. CDSB Framework
  5. CDP Framework
  6. TCFD Framework
  7. SBTI Framework
  8. United Nations Global Impact
  9. World Economic Forum
  10. PRI Framework

5 Best ESG reporting frameworks explained with examples — 2023 (1)

The International Financial Reporting Standards provide consistency and integrity in accounting practices regardless of the nature of the firm or its current location. The International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRSs) were developed and approved by IASB 2021, a private sector and self-reliant organization headquartered in London.

The requirements for record-keeping and disclosing expenses and profits are outlined in detail by IFRS for businesses. These specifics aid businesses in a variety of sectors in making sound decisions.

IFRS guarantees international comparability and uniformity in financial reporting. It creates a uniform set of superior accounting standards that businesses worldwide may use. IFRS improves financial reporting’s accountability and openness. It aids in preventing dishonest business practices, false assertions, and misrepresentations by mandating businesses to provide pertinent and trustworthy financial information.

The IFRS Foundation’s International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB) will take over responsibility for monitoring the progress of companies’ climate-related disclosures from the Financial Stability Board’s (FSB) Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) as of next year, following a request from the FSB.

5 Best ESG reporting frameworks explained with examples — 2023 (2)

The Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) Standards provide a comprehensive sustainability reporting framework. They offer directions and benchmarks for measuring and disclosing an organization’s economic, environmental, and social consequences. The GRI Standards are widely regarded as a pioneering framework for sustainability reporting and are utilized worldwide.

Clarity, comprehension, and comparability are the goals of the GRI Standards for sustainability reporting. They offer detailed instructions on submitting information, defining essential words, outlining reporting parameters, and offering particular indications and metrics for each issue.

By utilizing the GRI Standards, organizations may increase their openness, accountability, and credibility when reporting on their sustainability performance. The information revealed under the GRI framework may be used by stakeholders, such as investors, customers, workers, and communities, to make more informed decisions and hold businesses responsible for their social and environmental consequences.

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Investors’ rising desire for information about a company’s sustainability performance has increased the significance of the SASB standards. Using SASB standards is a fantastic place to start if you own a business and are trying to enhance your ESG profile.

The SASB standards can assist businesses in lowering the cost of ESG reporting by giving them a precise structure and set of criteria to adhere to.

The sustainability-related threats and chances that have the most significant potential to influence a company’s financial performance are identified by the SASB standards. This assists firms in identifying and managing these risks, allowing them to reduce their influence on the company’s bottom line.

Companies and investors may communicate about sustainability using SASB standards. The guidelines guarantee that sustainability data is presented in a standardized and similar manner, which can assist investors in making wise investment choices.

Recommended next reads

Canadian Sustainability Disclosure Standards (CSDS) Elizabeth Logan 3 weeks ago
Challenges of Non-Harmonized ESG Metrics Anuja Kolhatkar 6 months ago
ESG and the Impact of Finance! Andy Young 9 months ago
5 Best ESG reporting frameworks explained with examples — 2023 (7)

The Climate Disclosure Standards Board (CDSB) is a global alliance of environmental and business NGOs that creates and advances standards for climate-related disclosure in common company reports. The CDSB Framework assists businesses in clearly, succinctly, and consistently disclosing important climate-related information.

Although the CDSB Framework is not yet required, investors and regulators are becoming more interested in it. All listed firms in the EU should be required to use the CDSB Framework, according to a proposal by the European Union. The EU plan would represent a significant advancement in the worldwide drive to enhance climate-related transparency if it were to be implemented.

5 Best ESG reporting frameworks explained with examples — 2023 (8)

The CDP framework is a well-known and frequently used tool that aids businesses in measuring, disclosing, managing, and minimizing their environmental impacts, particularly those connected to climate change. It offers a standardized framework for reporting and evaluating environmental data, including carbon emissions, climate risks, and opportunities.

Companies, communities, and regions get yearly questionnaires from CDP demanding disclosure of environmental data. The surveys ask about various things, such as supply chain sustainability, energy use, water management, deforestation, and greenhouse gas emissions. The objectives of the questions are to collect detailed and reliable information to evaluate environmental performance.

Based on predetermined criteria, the information supplied by organizations through the surveys is assessed and scored. Each participating organization receives a performance score from CDP, which may be compared and used as a standard. Investors, stakeholders, and consumers may find value in these ratings and rankings, which offer insights into how effectively firms manage their environmental consequences.

In our forthcoming blog post at Zero Circle, we will delve deeper into various ESG reporting frameworks that will provide valuable insights to our readers. We aim to comprehensively analyze these frameworks to help readers understand their significance and potential impact on businesses. Stay tuned for our upcoming post!

5 Best ESG reporting frameworks explained with examples — 2023 (2024)

FAQs

What is the most popular ESG reporting framework? ›

The Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) framework is probably the most well-known of the ESG reporting standards. Companies who already have an existing Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) program in place may have followed GRI's requirements to build it.

What are the top ESG themes for 2023? ›

We predict a growing focus on supply chain sustainability, transparency, resilience, cybersecurity and technological innovation. We also anticipate significant shifts in global supply chains along with efforts to secure greater sovereignty of supply chains for essential goods.

What is an example of an ESG framework? ›

Guidance ESG frameworks

Examples include the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the European Union's Non-Financial Reporting Directive (NFRD), and the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP)."

How do I know which ESG framework to use? ›

Corporate ESG Strategy Alignment

When choosing the right ESG framework or standard, it is important to align the framework's goals and intents with your company's goals and intents. To effectively do this, you must first understand which ESG topics are most “material” or important to your organization.

What is GRI vs SASB vs TCFD? ›

The GRI, SASB, and TCFD are three widely recognized frameworks that offer valuable guidance for ESG reporting. While GRI provides a comprehensive and principles-based approach, SASB focuses on industry-specific materiality, and TCFD zooms in on climate-related risks and opportunities.

Is GRI a framework or standard? ›

The GRI Standards are a set of guidelines that provide a framework for sustainability reporting.

What are the key trends in sustainability 2023? ›

In 2023, expect to see more companies taking more strategic action towards embracing a circular economy, such as including circularity as a key operational sustainability initiative, and innovation into recycling technology, re-use options, and reusable packing options.

What are the ESG megatrends? ›

Issues such as climate change or population aging are so systemic and structural that they can impact macroeconomic factors, which in turn may affect the returns of different asset classes. We call these 'ESG megatrends'.

What is next generation ESG? ›

The FDA plans to modernize the ESG to take advantage of latest cloud technology and best-of-breed COTS software. The ESG cloud modernization, along with additional analysis and enhancements, is a part of an initiative known as the ESG NextGen solution.

Is there a standard ESG framework? ›

There is no single global standard for ESG reporting, and companies of all sizes can choose from these and other frameworks which meet their specific goals and provide industry-specific tools for greater accountability and improvement.

What is the SASB framework? ›

The Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB) created a framework for companies to disclose environmental, social, and governance (ESG) issues that could affect their financial performance and their ability to create enterprise value over the long term.

How do I create an ESG framework? ›

Steps to create an ESG strategy
  1. Ensure commitment on all levels.
  2. Assess your current state.
  3. Set ESG goals.
  4. Choose an ESG framework.
  5. Set key performance indicators and report on your progress.
  6. Do institutional investors care about ESG?
  7. What are investors looking for in ESG?
Feb 13, 2024

What are the big three ESG reporting frameworks? ›

In this blog post, we've given you a rundown of three of the most popular ESG reporting frameworks: GRI, SASB, and CDSB. Now all you need to do is decide which one is right for your business! Align your ESG practices to any of the above frameworks with EmpoweredESG.

How do I choose a sustainability reporting framework? ›

Choosing the right framework for your sustainability report is a matter of finding a framework that meshes well with organizational objectives, stakeholder needs, and regulatory obligations. As you can see, not all frameworks address all areas of ESG reporting.

What are the big 4 ESG standards? ›

The framework divides disclosures into four pillars — principles of governance, planet, people, and prosperity — that serve as the foundation for ESG reporting standards.

What is the most widely used reporting framework for sustainability reporting? ›

Together with GRI, SASB is one of the most important frameworks for sustainability reporting.

What is the main ESG reporting? ›

ESG reporting is all about disclosing information covering an organization's operations and risks in three areas: environmental stewardship, social responsibility, and corporate governance. Consumers look to ESG reports to figure out if their dollars are supporting a company whose values align with theirs.

What are the most popular ESG metrics? ›

Common ESG Metrics
  • Greenhouse gas emissions.
  • Air and water pollution.
  • Biodiversity.
  • Business circularity.
  • Deforestation.
  • Recycling and waste management.
  • Water security.
  • Energy efficiency.
Jan 22, 2024

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