What do Irish businesses need to know about the implementation of the EU’s CSRD reporting requirements?

The Corporate Sustainability Directive (‘CSRD’), which entered into force in January 2024, aims to standardise sustainability reporting across the European Union, improving transparency, reliability, and comparability of the information disclosed by companies. The directive will eventually apply to all companies listed on an EU regulated market (except listed micro entities), and many Irish businesses will be required to report in accordance with the directive in the 2024 financial year.

The directive brings sustainable reporting in line with financial reporting with businesses  being required to make disclosures in their management report on a multitude of topics, such as:

• Business model and sustainability strategy;
• Sustainability targets, including greenhouse gas emission reduction targets, and any progress they have made towards achieving these goals;
• The role of administrative, management and supervisory bodies in respect of sustainability matters, and management’s approach to sustainability risk and opportunities;
• The policies and the due diligence process implemented with regard to sustainability matters;
• The process used to identify the sustainability topics material to the business and reported on in the sustainability report.

Companies reporting sustainability information will initially have to obtain a limited degree of assurance (audit), with the European Commission’s ultimate goal of reasonable assurance potentially taking effect as early as 2028. The aim of this is to ensure the accuracy and reliability of the sustainability reporting, and Irish businesses will be required to obtain mandatory assurance from a third-party auditor. 

To ensure your business is prepared to meet your reporting requirements please see our Sustainability Reporting Bulletin, which provides a more detailed overview of the implementation timeline, scope, and standards set out in the CSRD.