Many small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that originally prepared for sustainability reporting in accordance with the ESRS or a voluntary DNK report are currently facing a turning point: the new Voluntary Sustainability Reporting Standard for SMEs (VSME) is a voluntary standard that provides for a significantly simplified procedure. A formal materiality analysis is no longer...Read More

The VSME standard (Voluntary ESRS for non-listed Small- and Medium-sized Enterprises) is becoming the central basis for voluntary sustainability reporting in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). It sets a clear cap for sustainability information that companies subject to CSRD reporting requirements may demand in their upstream and downstream value chain. This makes the VSME standard relevant for all SMEs that voluntarily provide sustainability information...Read More

Together with the municipal utility network ASEW (Arbeitsgemeinschaft für sparsame Energie- und Wasserverwendung), we supported over 60 municipal utilities in carrying out a double materiality analysis. Based on the individual double materiality analyses of the participating municipal utilities, combined industry results were compiled and more than 25 value chains in 9 clusters were analysed.Read More

Before reporting comes the double materiality analysis - Around 13,500 German companies are expected to have supplemented their traditional financial reporting with a sustainability report (non-financial reporting) by 2027. Comprehensive information on the topic of sustainability will thus become part of the management report subject to mandatory auditing. The reason for this is the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), as part of the "European Green Deal", which...Read More