Creating a sustainability report is not only a way to meet regulatory requirements such as the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), but also an opportunity to demonstrate a company’s commitment to sustainability. The CSRD requires companies in the EU to enhance their reporting with clear guidelines for the disclosure of sustainability information. The goal is to increase transparency and help companies integrate sustainable practices.  

These increased requirements bring complexity, but also strategic benefits: companies can strategically position their sustainability performance and demonstrate progress both internally and externally. Achieving this, however, requires clear processes and structures. Here are the four key steps from planning to publishing a sustainability report: 

1. Assessment and Goal Setting

Thorough preparation is essential to successfully meeting CSRD requirements. Disclosure of environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues requires close coordination and clearly defined responsibilities. Many companies centralize reporting responsibilities within dedicated teams, while others rely on cross-departmental collaboration. A deep understanding of CSRD and ESRS is critical not only to meeting regulatory requirements, but also to establishing sustainability as a strategic business value. 

2. Data Management as the Foundation for Transparency

The double materiality assessment is the core of the CSRD and defines which issues are relevant for reporting. Based on EFRAG’s standards (ESRS), it also provides the framework for identifying impacts, risks and opportunities (IROs). While companies have flexibility in selecting evaluation methods and thresholds, this requires precise documentation and transparent evaluation criteria.  

Reporting requires clearly defined data points specified by the ESRS. A gap-analysis can help identify and close existing data gaps. Data falls into three categories: quantitative data (e.g., metrics from ERP systems), qualitative data (e.g., information about policies and actions), and combined data that integrates numerical and descriptive elements. Comprehensive data preparation minimizes the need for revisions and ensures high-quality reporting.

3. Structuring Content and Creating the Report

Based on the materiality analysis and data preparation, the content of the report is structured. Standards such as the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) or specific CSRD requirements provide helpful guidelines. The report should present strategies, actions and targets in a clear and understandable way. Transparency is critical to building trust and credibility, and challenges and opportunities should be openly acknowledged.

4. Design and Publication

The final step is to consolidate all data and publish the report. Submission is done in the EU mandated ESEF format in compliance with CSRD. Software solutions such as osapiens HUB for CSRD simplify this process through automation and standardization. These tools support centralized data integration, ensure compliance with documentation requirements and streamline audit processes, making reporting more efficient, accurate and transparent.

Software as the Key to Successful Implementation

Specialized software solutions such as osapiens HUB for CSRD play a crucial role in the preparation of sustainability reports. These systems automate data collection, consolidation and formatting, ensuring compliance with current standards while saving valuable time. At the same time, they improve the quality and consistency of reports.  

With a clearly defined process and the right support, sustainability reporting becomes a manageable task that promotes transparency and helps companies strategically integrate sustainability.