The world is moving toward mandatory sustainability disclosures. From Europe’s CSRD, Taxonomy and CBAM – sustainability reporting is becoming more standardized and reliable. 

Companies with a presence in multiple countries will have to manage overlapping scopes, timelines, and data models. Preparing a flexible, digital reporting backbone is no longer a “nice-to-have” – it’s a strategic necessity.

The Global Trend Line in Sustainability Reporting

Although sustainability regulations differ in detail, they all follow the same logic: Standardized, comparable, and assured disclosures that link environmental, social, and governance (ESG) performance to enterprise value. 

• CSRD / ESRS: Broad ESG coverage and double materiality, as well as detailed data points and digital tagging inside annual reports. 
• EU Taxonomy: Requires activity-level KPIs on taxonomy alignment and eligibility to tie strategy to measurable results. 
• CBAM: Demands verified carbon data for imports into the EU, thereby integrating sustainability into trade compliance. 
• UK SRS (ISSB-aligned): Focuses on sustainability-related financial information, which is structured under four pillars: governance, strategy, risk management, and metrics and targets. 

In short, global regulators expect useful, verifiable, and finance-linked sustainability data, with increasing assurance over time. 

National Developments: Spain and the UK

Across Europe, countries are transposing the CSRD into national law. Spain, for example, has complemented the CSRD with additional national measures such as Royal Decree 214/2025, which strengthens carbon-reporting and sustainability-disclosure obligations from 2026 onward. 

Meanwhile, the United Kingdom is finalizing its own route with the UK Sustainability Reporting Standards (UK SRS). Developed by the Department for Business and Trade, the framework is aligned with the  ISSB’s IFRS S1 and S2. It focuses on sustainability-related financial information and is structured around governance, strategy, risk management, as well as on metrics and targets. 

Deep Dive: What the UK SRS mean

The UK SRS drafts of S1 (General Requirements) and S2 (Climate-Related Disclosures) were published in June 2025. The public consultation period closed in mid-September. A government decision on adoption and scope is expected by the end of the year.  

S1 requires companies to disclose sustainability-related risks and opportunities that could reasonably affect their cash flow, access to financing, or the cost of capital. These risks and opportunities are structured under four pillars: 

• Governance: Oversight by boards and management. 
• Strategy: How sustainability affects the business model and financial outcomes. 
• Risk management: Identification and monitoring of ESG-related risks. 
• Metrics & targets: Quantitative Progress toward internal or legal goals. 

The draft includes transition relief provisions: Early adopters may begin with climate disclosures (S1) before expanding to broader sustainability topics. Large or listed UK entities may be required to implement it beginning with the 2026 reporting cycle. 

What this means for UK companies

In its current form, the UK SRS would require companies to report sustainability information with the same timing, and reliability as their financial data.  

The standards aim to make reporting truly comparable, useful for decision-making, and investor-ready. In order to achieve this, companies must integrate sustainability and financial data, strengthen governance structures, and establish robust internal controls. Boards and management teams must be able to demonstrate clear oversight, defined responsibilities, and consistent reporting practices linking sustainability performance to strategic and financial outcomes. 

Even companies that are not directly in scope will feel the effects. Large organizations will increasingly demand aligned and verifiable data from their suppliers, and investors will expect transparent, finance-grade disclosures. 

Preparing early offers a clear advantage. By establishing the digital and procedural foundation for sustainability reporting now, companies can ensure smoother compliance with the UK SRS once it becomes mandatory. They will also gain credibility and efficiency in the process. Being ready early on reduces future regulatory risk, strengthens data quality, accelerates reporting, and positions companies as trusted partners in an evolving transparency landscape.

How osapiens supports early alignment

At osapiens, we closely track UK SRS and global regulations. Through the osapiens HUB for  Disclosure Management and the osapiens HUB Reporting Cockpit, we already support companies in preparing for future reporting requirements. Our solutions help organizations assess their overall readiness, integrate sustainability and financial data into one workflow, and build the digital foundation needed to align with evolving frameworks.  

The osapiens HUB for CSRD already enables affected companies to efficiently comply with the directive. This experience provides us with a solid foundation and proven expertise in managing complex, standardized processes. 

If the UK SRS becomes mandatory, having a well-prepared digital infrastructure will be essential to efficiently manage compliance and turn sustainability reporting into a competitive advantage. 

Looking Ahead

Sustainability Reporting is entering a new phase of standardization. Whether through the CSRD or the UK’s upcoming SRS, the direction is clear: Transparent, connected, and finance-grade disclosures are becoming the norm. 

Preparing now ensures companies can comply and lead when 2026 arrives.