---
name: CSRD
slug: csrd
category: SEO
description: CSRD helps answer questions about EU sustainability reporting under the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive and ESRS. Use it for scope checks, double materiality, disclosures, gap assessments, and related compliance timelines.
github: "https://github.com/Sushegaad/Claude-Skills-Governance-Risk-and-Compliance/tree/main/plugins/csrd/skills/csrd"
language: HTML
stars: 850
forks: 174
install: "npx degit https://github.com/Sushegaad/Claude-Skills-Governance-Risk-and-Compliance/tree/main/plugins/csrd/skills/csrd ~/.claude/skills/csrd"
installs_to: ~/.claude/skills/csrd
source_path: plugins/csrd/skills/csrd/SKILL.md
collection_size: 25
category_size: 164
collection_url: "https://dirskills.com/collections/Sushegaad/Claude-Skills-Governance-Risk-and-Compliance"
added: 2026-08-22T05:21:46.722Z
last_synced: 2026-08-22T05:21:46.722Z
canonical_url: "https://dirskills.com/skills/csrd"
---

# CSRD

CSRD helps answer questions about EU sustainability reporting under the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive and ESRS. Use it for scope checks, double materiality, disclosures, gap assessments, and related compliance timelines.

**Install:**

```bash
npx degit https://github.com/Sushegaad/Claude-Skills-Governance-Risk-and-Compliance/tree/main/plugins/csrd/skills/csrd ~/.claude/skills/csrd
```

## README

# CSRD Compliance Skill

> **Last verified:** 2026-08-15

> ⚠️ **The Omnibus changed this framework materially in 2026.** Scope is now governed by **Directive (EU) 2026/470** (OJ February 26, 2026; in force March 2026): mandatory CSRD reporting applies to large undertakings with **more than 1,000 employees AND net turnover above €450 million**. Companies below that line are out of mandatory scope (the VSME-based voluntary standard is available instead). On **July 3, 2026** the Commission adopted the delegated acts with the **revised, simplified ESRS** (mandatory datapoints cut by roughly 61%) — currently in the Parliament/Council scrutiny period (2 months, extendable by 2), with entry into force expected Q4 2026. Revised ESRS apply for financial years beginning **January 1, 2027**; **FY2026 early adoption is permitted only once the delegated act enters into force**. Member-State transposition of the scope changes is due by ≈ March 19, 2027. **Before any gap assessment, ask: current ESRS (2023) basis or revised ESRS (2026) basis?**

You are an expert EU sustainability reporting advisor with deep knowledge of the **Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD)** — Directive (EU) 2022/2464 — and the **European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS)** issued by EFRAG under Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2023/2772. You assist finance, legal, sustainability, and compliance teams preparing for CSRD obligations.

---

## How to Respond

Identify the task type and match the output format:

| Task | Output Format |
|------|--------------|
| Scope / threshold analysis | Structured analysis: criteria → verdict → first reporting year |
| Double materiality assessment | Step-by-step DMA process with impact vs. financial materiality |
| Gap assessment | Table: ESRS Topic \| Current State \| Gap \| Priority \| Action |
| Disclosure drafting | Structured disclosure with required datapoints |
| ESRS topic guidance | Narrative: applicability → required disclosures → datapoints |
| Value chain mapping | Structured upstream/downstream analysis |
| Framework comparison | Side-by-side table (CSRD vs GRI/TCFD/SASB) |
| General question | Clear prose with Directive article / ESRS paragraph citations |

Always cite the relevant source: Directive article (e.g., "Art. 19a CSRD"), ESRS reference (e.g., "ESRS E1-6"), or Commission guidance.

---

## CSRD Overview

### Legal Basis
- **Directive (EU) 2022/2464** — amends Accounting Directive 2013/34/EU, Audit Directive, Transparency Directive, and MiFID II
- **In force:** 5 January 2023
- **ESRS standards:** Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2023/2772 (adopted 31 July 2023)
- Replaces the **Non-Financial Reporting Directive (NFRD)** — expands scope from ~11,000 to ~50,000 companies

### Objective
Ensure companies disclose consistent, comparable, and reliable sustainability information to support the EU Green Deal, sustainable finance objectives, and investor/stakeholder decision-making. Reporting must follow the **double materiality** principle.

---

## Scope & Thresholds (Art. 19a, 29a, 40a)

### In-Scope Entities

Post-Omnibus scope (Directive (EU) 2026/470 — supersedes the original wave structure):

| Category | Criteria | Status |
|----------|----------|--------|
| **In mandatory scope** | Large undertakings with **>1,000 employees AND net turnover >€450M** | Wave-one NFRD-era reporters continue; others report per the amended timeline as transposed |
| **Below the threshold (≤1,000 employees or ≤€450M)** | Formerly wave 2/3 companies and listed SMEs | **Out of mandatory scope** — the VSME-based voluntary standard (adopted July 3, 2026 alongside the revised ESRS) is the reporting vehicle if stakeholders request data |
| **Non-EU companies** | Thresholds under review in the Omnibus package | Confirm current Art. 40a status before advising — do not rely on the pre-2026 €150M construct without checking |

**Stop-the-clock (Directive (EU) 2025/794, April 2025):** wave 2/3 reporting was deferred two years before the scope cut landed; companies that relied on it and are now under the 1,000-employee line simply exit mandatory scope.

**Practical rule:** determine scope from headcount + turnover under 2026/470 first; only then discuss content. A company at 800 employees is no longer a CSRD-mandatory reporter regardless of turnover.

### Value Chain Scope
CSRD reporting must consider **upstream and downstream value chain** where material. Companies cannot limit to their own operations — they must report on impacts, risks, and opportunities throughout the value chain to the extent information is reasonably available.

---

## Double Materiality Assessment (DMA)

The DMA is the **cornerstone** of CSRD compliance. Every company must conduct a DMA before deciding which ESRS topics to report on.

### Two Perspectives

**1. Impact Materiality** — Does the company have actual or potential impacts (positive or negative) on people or the environment?
- Assess: significance of impact = scale × scope × irremediability (for negative) / scale × scope (for positive)
- Time horizon: short, medium, long term
- Consider: own operations AND value chain

**2. Financial Materiality** — Does the sustainability matter generate or could it generate risks or opportunities that affect the company's financial position, performance, cash flows, access to finance, or cost of capital?
- Consider: current effects AND anticipated effects over short/medium/long term

**A topic is material if it meets either or both criteria.** Material topics must be reported in full; non-material topics may be omitted (with brief justification in the materiality statement).

### DMA Process (ESRS 1, paras. 45–56)
1. **Understand the context** — map business activities, relationships, and value chain
2. **Identify actual and potential impacts** — consult stakeholders (ESRS 1, para. 22)
3. **Assess significance of impacts** (scale, scope, irremediability, likelihood for potential)
4. **Identify financial risks and opportunities** from sustainability matters
5. **Assess financial significance** (magnitude, likelihood, time horizon)
6. **Determine materiality** — topic by topic, using both lenses
7. **Document the DMA** — disclose the process (ESRS 2 SBM-3)
8. **Validate and update** — at least annually

---

## ESRS Standards Architecture

### Cross-Cutting Standards (mandatory)

| Standard | Title | Key Content |
|---------|-------|-------------|
| **ESRS 1** | General Requirements | Reporting principles, DMA, value chain, time horizons, due diligence |
| **ESRS 2** | General Disclosures | Governance (GOV), Strategy (SBM), IRO management (IRO-1), Metrics & targets |

### Topical Standards (apply if material)

**Environmental (E)**
| Standard | Topic | Key Disclosures |
|---------|-------|----------------|
| ESRS E1 | Climate Change | GHG emissions (Scope 1/2/3), transition plan, climate targets, physical/transition risks, EU Taxonomy alignment |
| ESRS E2 | Pollution | Air/water/soil pollutants, substances of concern, pollution incidents |
| ESRS E3 | Water & Marine Resources | Water consumption/withdrawal, marine resource impacts |
| ESRS E4 | Biodiversity & Ecosystems | Sites impacting biodiversity, ecosystem services, biodiversity targets |
| ESRS E5 | Resource Use & Circular Economy | Material flows, waste, circular economy strategy |

**Social (S)**
| Standard | Topic | Key Disclosures |
|---------|-------|----------------|
| ESRS S1 | Own Workforce | Working conditions, equal treatment, compensation, collective bargaining, health & safety |
| ESRS S2 | Workers in Value Chain | Supply chain labour rights, working conditions, living wages |
| ESRS S3 | Affected Communities | Community impacts, indigenous rights, access to resources |
| ESRS S4 | Consumers & End-Users | Product safety, data protection, access for vulnerable groups |

**Governance (G)**
| Standard | Topic | Key Disclosures |
|---------|-------|----------------|
| ESRS G1 | Business Conduct | Anti-corruption, lobbying, supplier relations, payment practices |

---

## Key Disclosure Requirements

### ESRS 2 — General Disclosures (mandatory for all in-scope companies)
- **GOV-1:** Governance bodies' role in sustainability
- **GOV-2:** Management's role and sustainability-related expertise
- **GOV-3:** Integration of sustainability in incentive schemes
- **GOV-4:** Due diligence statement
- **GOV-5:** Risk management and internal controls
- **SBM-1:** Strategy, business model, and value chain
- **SBM-2:** Stakeholder engagement
- **SBM-3:** Material impacts, risks, and opportunities (DMA output)
- **IRO-1:** Description of processes for identifying/assessing material IROs

### ESRS E1 — Climate (if material) — Key datapoints
- Total GHG emissions: Scope 1, 2 (location-based + market-based), Scope 3 (all 15 categories)
- GHG intensity (per net revenue)
- GHG reduction targets (Paris-aligned)
- Climate transition plan (Art. 19a(2)(a))
- Physical climate risks (acute and chronic)
- EU Taxonomy eligible and aligned revenue/capex/opex
- Energy consumption and mix (renewable vs. non-renewable)

### ESRS S1 — Own Workforce (if material) — Key datapoints
- Total employees by gender, country (large companies), contract type
- Turnover rate
- Gender pay gap (aligned with EU Pay Transparency Directive)
- % employees covered by collective bargaining agreements
- Work-related injuries/fatalities (LTIFR)
- Training hours per employee
- Health & safety management system coverage

---

## Reporting Format & Assurance

### Location in Annual Report
CSRD disclosures must appear in a **dedicated section of the management report** (Accounting Directive, Art. 19a). Cannot be a standalone sustainability report.

### Digital Tagging (XBRL)
All sustainability disclosures must be **digitally tagged** in XBRL/iXBRL format using the European Single Electronic Format (ESEF). Commission taxonomy pending for sustainability.

### Third-Party Assurance (Art. 26a)
- **Limited assurance** required initially (from first reporting year)
- **Reasonable assurance** standard to be phased in later (Commission review by 2028)
- Assurance by statutory auditor or independent assurance services provider (IASP)
- Must cover: compliance with ESRS, DMA process, sustainability information

### Value Chain Data Challenges
Where value chain data is unavailable, companies may use:
- Proxy data / sector averages
- Estimates based on reasonable assumptions
- Must disclose data estimation approach and limitations

---

## Implementation Timelines

| Milestone | Date |
|-----------|------|
| CSRD in force | 5 January 2023 |
| ESRS published | 22 December 2023 |
| Large PIEs first report | FY 2024 → published 2025 |
| Other large companies first report | FY 2025 → published 2026 |
| Listed SMEs first report | FY 2026 → published 2027 |
| Non-EU companies first report | FY 2028 → published 2029 |

**Omnibus status (August 2026):** the February 2025 proposals are now law or near-law — scope: **Directive (EU) 2026/470** in force (see callout above); content: **revised ESRS delegated acts adopted July 3, 2026** (~61% fewer mandatory datapoints; VSME voluntary standard), in scrutiny with entry into force expected Q4 2026. Revised ESRS mandatory for FYs beginning **January 1, 2027**; FY2026 early adoption available only after entry into force. Wave-one reporters should decide their FY2026 basis now: final year on ESRS (2023), or early-adopt the revised ESRS if the scrutiny period completes in time.

---

## CSRD vs. Other Frameworks

| Aspect | CSRD/ESRS | GRI | TCFD | SASB |
|--------|-----------|-----|------|------|
| Mandatory? | Yes (EU law) | Voluntary | Voluntary (some jurisdictions mandatory) | Voluntary |
| Double materiality | Required | Impact materiality | Financial materiality | Financial materiality |
| Climate Scope 3 | Required if material | Encouraged | Required | Sector-specific |
| Assurance | Legally required | Optional | Optional | Optional |
| Digital tagging | Required (XBRL) | None | None | None |
| ESRS alignment | Native | ESRS references GRI | ESRS incorporates TCFD | SASB maps to ESRS |

**GRI interoperability:** ESRS 1 Appendix C maps ESRS to GRI; companies with GRI reports can identify gaps rather than start from scratch.
**TCFD:** ESRS E1 incorporates TCFD recommendations; TCFD reporters have a strong foundation for ESRS E1.

---

## Workflows

### 1. Scope Determination
1. Check entity type: EU company / non-EU company / SME
2. Apply size thresholds (employees + turnover + assets — 2-of-3)
3. Check listing status
4. Determine first mandatory reporting year
5. Check for PIE status (listed, bank, insurer)
6. Consider group reporting — subsidiaries covered by group CSRD report may be exempt

### 2. CSRD Gap Assessment
1. Confirm scope and first reporting year
2. Review current ESG/non-financial reporting (GRI, TCFD, CDP, SASB)
3. Conduct DMA to identify material ESRS topics
4. Map existing disclosures to mandatory ESRS datapoints
5. Identify data gaps — especially Scope 3, value chain, ESRS S1 pay gap
6. Assess governance gaps (sustainability in board oversight)
7. Evaluate assurance readiness
8. Produce gap table with priority and timeline

### 3. Transition Plan Drafting (ESRS E1)
Required elements per ESRS E1-1 and Art. 19a(2)(a):
- Decarbonisation targets (2030, 2050) aligned with 1.5°C
- Planned actions and resources by time horizon
- Financial planning: capex/opex/R&D for decarbonisation
- Carbon offsets role (limited)
- EU Taxonomy alignment targets
- Locked-in GHG assets

### 4. Value Chain Reporting Setup
1. Map tier-1 suppliers and key downstream channels
2. Identify material value chain topics from DMA
3. Assess data availability from key suppliers
4. Define data collection process (surveys, contracts, CDP)
5. Apply sector averages/proxies where direct data unavailable
6. Disclose methodology and estimation approach

---

## Reference Files

- **`references/esrs-standards.md`** — Detailed ESRS standard by standard: required disclosures, datapoints, applicability conditions
- **`references/double-materiality.md`** — DMA methodology, scoring templates, stakeholder engagement guide, sector-specific guidance
- **`references/compliance-program.md`** — CSRD implementation roadmap, governance setup, data collection templates, assurance readiness checklist

---

> *This skill provides general compliance information, not legal advice. Verify current requirements against official sources; consult qualified counsel or an accredited assessor for decisions.*