Why CSRD Matters Now
The Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) is part of the European Green Deal and was introduced in 2023. Its aim is straightforward but impactful: to standardise sustainability reporting across businesses. Where companies previously had the option to choose what to emphasise in their reports, the CSRD establishes clear rules and a consistent framework. The result is enhanced transparency, comparability, and accountability for organisations operating throughout Europe and beyond.
Changes to the Implementation Timeline
Although there have been delays in some aspects of CSRD implementation within the European Union, the overall direction remains clear. The EU’s recent Omnibus Directive has postponed implementation by up to two years for many companies and narrowed the initial reporting scope. For OCS, this means continuing to align our approach with the requirements, regardless of shifting timelines. With OCS conducting business in European countries like Ireland, it is essential that our reporting standards meet the expectations of regulators, customers, and stakeholders across multiple jurisdictions.
Preparing for EU and UK Requirements
Meanwhile, the UK is developing its own Sustainability Disclosure Standards (SDS), which are based on the International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB) framework rather than CSRD itself. However, CSRD also draws heavily from ISSB principles, indicating a strong alignment between the two. Preparing now ensures OCS is ready to meet both EU and UK standards as they evolve.
More Than Another Acronym
For those working in ESG, the landscape is full of acronyms: TCFD, ISSB, IFRS, CDP, and more. It can feel like yet another layer of reporting. But CSRD is different. Its aim is not to add complexity but to unify everything into a single, structured disclosure. Climate and carbon reporting, health and safety, and social value metrics can all be combined under one standardised framework.
The principle is “report once, disclose many.” By aligning data with CSRD requirements, OCS can meet multiple stakeholder needs at the same time, ensuring consistency and avoiding duplication. This is especially important where companies with EU ownership must provide data for group-level reporting, emphasising why alignment is crucial even for UK-based entities.
The Role of Double Materiality
At the heart of CSRD lies the concept of double materiality. This requires companies to evaluate their impacts, risks, and opportunities from two perspectives:
- Outward impact: how OCS affects communities and the environment through its operations.
- Inward impact: how social and environmental factors affect OCS’s capacity to operate and grow.
A Tool for Responsibility and Resilience
This dual approach ensures that sustainability is recognised not just as a matter of responsibility but also of resilience. For example, strong health and safety practices protect colleagues and communities, while also safeguarding OCS’s licence to operate and its ability to compete for contracts.
Building Business Resilience
One of the key aspects of CSRD is how it enhances business resilience. By adopting a structured approach to risks and opportunities, OCS can foresee challenges, reduce vulnerabilities, and promote long-term stability. Transparent reporting fosters trust with customers and investors, aiding in securing contracts and investments. It also ensures OCS is prepared to adapt to new regulations or changing market expectations.
Opportunity Through Strong Governance
Resilience involves not only managing risks but also recognising opportunities. CSRD emphasises areas where OCS can innovate, improve efficiency, and add value for customers. This directly relates to the themes we discussed during OCS Resilience Week earlier this year, which centred on how businesses can progress through strong governance, operational discipline, and people-focused values. CSRD provides another tool to implement these principles.
A Foundation for the Future
CSRD should not be viewed as mere compliance. It is a framework for managing impact, risk, and opportunity in a way that fosters long-term value. By integrating its principles into our operations, OCS can:
- Strengthen governance and accountability frameworks
- Improve resilience to environmental and social risks
- Discover new opportunities for innovation and revenue growth
- Provide stakeholders with transparent, credible, and comparable information
For a global facilities management business, this is about ensuring long-term resilience. Customers are increasingly requesting proof of performance, not just in service delivery but also in sustainability impact. CSRD sets a benchmark that OCS can leverage to demonstrate leadership and credibility.
Looking Ahead: Shaping the Next Stage of ESG Reporting
Even where CSRD is not legally required, it influences the approach to sustainability reporting. By preparing now, OCS not only meets external expectations but also acquires the tools to manage ESG more clearly and strategically.
As we advance on this journey, CSRD will serve as the foundation for more robust reporting, increased business resilience, and new opportunities to make people and places the best they can be.
