European Commission Opens Consultations on Revised Sustainability Reporting Standards

The European Commission has launched public consultations on the draft revised European Sustainability Reporting Standards and on a voluntary sustainability reporting standard for smaller companies. Feedback period: 06 May 2026 - 03 June 2026

The proposed changes are intended to make sustainability reporting more accessible and easier to apply in practice, while still ensuring that companies provide meaningful and reliable information on their sustainability-related impacts, risks, and opportunities.

The revised standards address key environmental, social, and governance topics, including climate action, biodiversity, working conditions, and human rights. Compared to the current framework, the new drafts aim to offer clearer guidance, fewer complexities, and greater flexibility for companies.

A separate voluntary standard is also being proposed for companies outside the scope of mandatory sustainability reporting under the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive. This is particularly relevant for smaller businesses that may still need to respond to sustainability information requests from business partners.

The consultations may be of interest to companies, policymakers, researchers, and other stakeholders working in the fields of sustainability, corporate responsibility, and EU policy implementation.

More information is available through the following links: https://ec.europa.eu/info/law/better-regulation/have-your-say/initiatives/16775-Revised-European-sustainability-reporting-standards_en and https://ec.europa.eu/info/law/better-regulation/have-your-say/initiatives/17232-Sustainability-reporting-standard-for-voluntary-use_en

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