Evolution from sustainability reporting to ESG reporting

Climate change, sustainability, and ESG considerations are increasingly taking centre stage in corporate boardrooms across the world. Investors, customers, and employees are demanding more transparency from companies about their environmental and social impact, including the responsible management of data and cloud computing. In response, companies are increasingly adopting reporting practices that reflect the evolution from sustainability reporting to ESG reporting.

The evolution of sustainability reporting has been driven by a number of factors including expansion of scope, investor demand for information on non–financial performance, stakeholders’ engagement and emerging reporting frameworks and standards among others.

Expanded Scope

Sustainability reporting traditionally focused on environmental aspects, such as resource consumption and emissions. ESG reporting broadens the scope to include Environmental, Social, and Governance factors. This expansion recognizes the importance of social and governance dimensions alongside environmental considerations.

Investor Demand and Integration

ESG reporting is driven by increased investor demand for information on non-financial performance. Nowadays, investors are taking ESG factors into account when making investment decisions. This includes assessing the long-term risks and opportunities, as well as evaluating the sustainability of companies. ESG reporting is often integrated with financial reporting to provide a more comprehensive view of an organization’s value creation.

Materiality and Stakeholder Engagement

ESG reporting emphasizes materiality assessment, identifying the most significant ESG issues for an organization and its stakeholders. This assessment helps focus reporting efforts on issues that have a greater impact on business performance and stakeholder decision-making. Stakeholder engagement is crucial in identifying and addressing material ESG concerns.

Reporting Standards and Frameworks

While sustainability reporting often relied on various frameworks and guidelines, ESG reporting aligns with recognized reporting frameworks and standards, such as the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) and the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB). These frameworks provide specific indicators and disclosures for ESG performance measurement and reporting.

These recognized reporting frameworks and standards, such as the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) and the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB), play a crucial role in the evolution from sustainability reporting to ESG reporting.

The GRI framework provides comprehensive guidelines for reporting on economic, environmental, and social impacts. It offers a strong structure for organizations to disclose their ESG performance, set targets, and communicate their sustainability strategies. GRI’s reporting standards offer a wide range of indicators and disclosures that help organizations measure and report on their ESG impacts and practices. The SASB standards focus on industry-specific ESG disclosure requirements. They provide a set of materiality-based, industry-specific metrics and guidance to help organizations report on financial material sustainability topics. SASB standards enable comparability and consistency of ESG information across companies within the same industry.

Conclusion

The evolution from sustainability reporting to ESG reporting demonstrates the increasing importance of climate change, sustainability, and ESG considerations in corporate boardrooms. This change is motivated by investor demand for information on non-financial performance, the extended scope that includes environmental, social, and governance factors, materiality assessment and stakeholder engagement, and the adoption of recognized reporting frameworks and standards. ESG reporting provides companies with a broader approach to transparency through which they can disclose their ESG performance, allowing them to meet the growing expectations of investors, customers, and employees. By embracing ESG reporting, business organizations can show their commitment to sustainable practices and make informed decisions that are in line with long-term goals, ensuring a more resilient and responsible business future.