Understanding CSRD Compliance for Irish Businesses CSRD requirements Ireland represent the most significant change to corporate reporting in decades, affecting over 1,500 companies directly and thousands more through supply chain obligations. The Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive transforms how businesses disclose environmental, social, and governance information, making CSRD requirements Ireland essential knowledge for directors, executives, and […]
Green Horizons
December 4th, 2025
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Understanding CSRD Compliance for Irish Businesses
CSRD requirements Ireland represent the most significant change to corporate reporting in decades, affecting over 1,500 companies directly and thousands more through supply chain obligations. The Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive transforms how businesses disclose environmental, social, and governance information, making CSRD requirements Ireland essential knowledge for directors, executives, and sustainability professionals. This comprehensive guide examines implementation timelines, reporting standards, data requirements, and preparation strategies for organisations across Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.
The All-Ireland Sustainability Network supports 600+ members navigating CSRD implementation. Through exclusive workshops, peer learning forums, and expert guidance, our network helps organisations transform CSRD compliance from regulatory burden into strategic opportunity.
CSRD Scope and Application
Which Companies Are Affected
Direct Application Thresholds:
Companies meeting two of three criteria:
Net turnover: €50 million
Balance sheet total: €25 million
Average employees: 250
Mandatory Inclusion Categories:
Listed companies (including SMEs on regulated markets)
Banks and insurance companies
Companies already reporting under NFRD
Non-EU companies with €150m+ EU turnover
Large public interest entities
Irish Company Analysis:
Large companies affected: 1,500+ directly
Listed SMEs included: 85 companies
Financial institutions: 147 entities
Non-EU subsidiaries: 420 operations
Public sector bodies: 230 organisations
Implementation Timeline
Phased Rollout Schedule:
Financial Year 2024 (Reports in 2025):
Companies already subject to NFRD
500+ employee public interest entities
Approximately 280 Irish companies
Financial Year 2025 (Reports in 2026):
All large companies meeting thresholds
Additional 900+ Irish companies
Group reporting requirements apply
Financial Year 2026 (Reports in 2027):
Listed SMEs (opt-out until 2028 possible)
Small credit institutions
Captive insurance undertakings
Financial Year 2028 (Reports in 2029):
Non-EU companies with significant EU presence
€150 million EU turnover threshold
EU subsidiary or branch requirements
European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS)
Cross-Cutting Standards
ESRS 1 – General Requirements:
Double materiality assessment
Value chain reporting
Time horizons definition
Connectivity with financial statements
Reporting boundaries
ESRS 2 – General Disclosures (Mandatory):
Governance structure and oversight
Strategy and business model
Impact, risk, and opportunity management
Metrics and targets
84 mandatory data points
Topical Standards
Environmental Standards:
ESRS E1 – Climate Change:
Scope 1, 2, 3 GHG emissions
Transition plans to net-zero
Physical and transition risks
Energy consumption and mix
Carbon pricing exposure
Science-based targets
ESRS E2 – Pollution:
Air, water, soil pollution
Substances of concern
Microplastics impact
Pollution incidents
Remediation obligations
ESRS E3 – Water and Marine:
Water consumption and withdrawal
Water discharge quality
Marine ecosystem impact
Water stress areas
Water recycling rates
ESRS E4 – Biodiversity:
Impact on sensitive areas
Species protection measures
Land use change
Ecosystem services
Nature-based solutions
ESRS E5 – Circular Economy:
Resource inflows and outflows
Waste generation and recovery
Product design for circularity
Material recovery rates
End-of-life management
Social Standards:
ESRS S1 – Own Workforce:
Employment practices
Health and safety metrics
Training and skills development
Diversity and inclusion data
Collective bargaining coverage
ESRS S2 – Workers in Value Chain:
Supply chain working conditions
Living wage assessments
Child labour risks
Forced labour prevention
Supplier code compliance
ESRS S3 – Affected Communities:
Local community impacts
Indigenous peoples’ rights
Land-related impacts
Economic impacts
Access to services
ESRS S4 – Consumers:
Product safety incidents
Information transparency
Privacy protection
Accessibility measures
Customer satisfaction
Governance Standards:
ESRS G1 – Business Conduct:
Anti-corruption measures
Whistleblowing systems
Political engagement
Supplier conduct
Payment practices
Double Materiality Assessment
Assessment Requirements
Impact Materiality:
Actual positive/negative impacts
Potential future impacts
Severity and likelihood scales
Affected stakeholder groups
Time horizons consideration
Financial Materiality:
Financial effects of sustainability matters
Risks and opportunities quantification
Time-bound financial implications
Dependencies on resources
Strategic positioning impacts
Materiality Process
Stakeholder Engagement:
Internal stakeholders: Board to operations
External stakeholders: Customers to communities
Value chain actors: Suppliers to distributors
Expert consultation: Sector specialists
Documentation requirements: Full audit trail
Threshold Setting:
Quantitative thresholds: Financial impacts
Qualitative criteria: Stakeholder concerns
Severity scales: Human rights impacts
Probability assessments: Risk occurrence
Time horizons: Short, medium, long-term
All-Ireland Sustainability members access materiality assessment templates and peer benchmarking through our CSRD Working Group.
Data Collection Requirements
Quantitative Data Points
Environmental Metrics (450+ data points):
GHG emissions (Scopes 1, 2, 3 detailed)
Energy consumption by source
Water metrics by location
Waste by type and disposal
Biodiversity impact indicators
Circular material percentages
Social Metrics (380+ data points):
Employee demographics
Pay gap analysis
Training hours and costs
Health and safety incidents
Supply chain assessments
Community investment
Governance Metrics (270+ data points):
Board composition
Remuneration ratios
Ethics training completion
Supplier payment terms
Tax transparency
Lobbying expenditure
Qualitative Disclosures
Narrative Requirements:
Business model description
Strategy alignment with sustainability
Due diligence processes
Policy descriptions
Risk management approaches
Opportunity identification
Target-setting methodology
Progress measurement
Value Chain Reporting
Upstream Requirements
Supplier Information:
Tier 1 supplier mapping
Material supplier assessment
High-risk supplier identification
Supplier engagement processes
Capacity building initiatives
Procurement policy integration
Scope 3 Categories:
Purchased goods and services
Capital goods emissions
Fuel and energy activities
Upstream transportation
Waste generated
Business travel
Employee commuting
Downstream Requirements
Product and Service Impacts:
Use-phase emissions
End-of-life treatment
Product safety metrics
Customer satisfaction
Accessibility measures
Privacy protection
Distribution and Sales:
Downstream transportation
Processing of sold products
Franchise emissions
Investment impacts
Customer engagement
Assurance Requirements
Limited Assurance Phase
Initial Requirements (2024-2025):
Limited assurance mandatory
ISAE 3000 standard
Materiality assessment review
Process evaluation
Data sampling
Management representations
Assurance Scope:
ESRS compliance check
Double materiality process
Key metrics verification
EU Taxonomy alignment
Narrative consistency
Digital tagging accuracy
Reasonable Assurance Transition
Enhanced Requirements (by 2028):
Reasonable assurance planned
Higher evidence standards
Extended testing procedures
Control system evaluation
Substantive testing
Site visits likely
Preparation Steps:
Internal control development
Documentation standards
Data quality improvements
System integration
Process automation
Training programmes
Digital Reporting Format
ESEF Requirements
Technical Specifications:
XHTML format mandatory
XBRL tagging required
ESRS taxonomy application
Machine-readable format
Inline XBRL (iXBRL)
Anchoring to financials
Tagging Requirements:
Block tagging: Narrative sections
Detailed tagging: Quantitative data
Taxonomy extensions: Company-specific
Multi-language: If applicable
Version control: Annual updates
Technology Preparation
System Requirements:
XBRL software selection
Data management systems
Tagging tools
Validation software
Publishing platforms
Archive systems
Governance and Controls
Board Responsibilities
Oversight Requirements:
Sustainability expertise
Regular reporting to board
Strategy approval
Risk oversight
Target approval
Assurance engagement
Board Competence:
Training requirements
Skills assessment
Expert advisors
Committee structure
Meeting frequency
Documentation standards
Internal Controls
Control Framework:
Data collection controls
Calculation verification
Review processes
Approval hierarchies
Change management
Exception reporting
Three Lines Model:
First line: Operational controls
Second line: Risk and compliance
Third line: Internal audit
External assurance: Fourth line
Board oversight: Ultimate responsibility
Implementation Roadmap
Year 1 Preparation
Foundation Building:
Quarter 1:
Gap analysis
Project team formation
Timeline development
Budget approval
Stakeholder mapping
Quarter 2:
Materiality assessment
Data gap identification
System requirements
Policy development
Training initiation
Quarter 3:
Data collection pilots
Process documentation
Control implementation
Technology deployment
Stakeholder engagement
Quarter 4:
Dry run reporting
Assurance readiness
Board reporting
Refinement process
Baseline establishment
Ongoing Compliance
Annual Cycle:
Continuous data collection
Quarterly reviews
Annual materiality refresh
Stakeholder engagement
Target progress tracking
Assurance preparation
Report publication
Continuous improvement
Common Implementation Challenges
Data Challenges
Typical Issues:
Scope 3 data availability: 73% cite as major challenge
CSRD requirements Ireland transform sustainability from voluntary disclosure to mandatory reporting with audit-level rigour. Success requires early preparation, robust processes, and strategic approach. Leading organisations use CSRD as catalyst for sustainability integration, creating value beyond compliance.
All-Ireland Sustainability members receive exclusive CSRD implementation support through workshops, peer forums, and expert guidance. Our CSRD Working Group provides practical tools, shared experiences, and continuous updates essential for successful implementation.
