SustainabilitySupport or assurance
CSRD report: does the duty still apply to you?
Under the CSRD, from financial year 2027 only companies with over 1,000 employees and 450 million euros turnover report. Data counts from 1 January 2027; the materiality assessment comes first.
Your figures against the thresholds
The Omnibus package reordered who reports. Two figures decide whether you are in.
Both values must be exceeded.
By the thresholds, likely in scope
- Average number of employees
- 200 above 1,000
- Net turnover
- 150 million euros above 450 million euros
Your 2027 report appears in 2028 in the management report, with an assurance report. Finish the materiality assessment first, so data collection starts by 1 January 2027; otherwise you collect the first months' data afterwards.
Book intro callThe German transposition act is still pending (as at 3 October 2026); until then section 289b HGB on the non-financial statement applies.
Where we come in on the way to your first CSRD report
- Clarify the scopeThresholds, group membership and exemption.
- Materiality assessmentSets the topics and datapoints of the report.
- Collect dataFrom 1 January 2027 for the first report.
- Prepare the reportIn the 2028 management report, under the simplified ESRS.
or
AuditAudit alongside preparationWe audit from the scoping on; findings come early, not on the reporting date.Assurance reportSteps 1 to 4or
AuditAudit at the endWe audit the prepared report in one pass.Assurance reportStep 4Who assures or supports your sustainability report
- Registered audit firm, member of the IDW (opens in a new tab)Listed with the Chamber of Public Accountants. The German Public Accountant you talk to signs.
- Specialised in sustainability and energy (opens in a new tab)German Public Accountant Jannik Hassel is a member of the IDW committee on the technology-based implementation of the CSRD. He writes on sustainability reporting in NWB and with C.H. Beck.
- Big Four backgroundWe learned auditing at Big Four firms, over ten years in financial statement and sustainability audits.
“[…] We chose this on Mr Hassel’s advice, as it is the first audit of our sustainability report. As a result we get timely feedback and keep learning. […]”
What CFOs ask about the CSRD duty
Is the German CSRD transposition act in force?
Not yet (as at 3 October 2026). Until then the HGB governs the non-financial statement (section 289b HGB). Plan with the directive’s timetable anyway: the reporting year starts on 1 January 2027.
What happens if we only start during 2027?
The reporting year is then already running. You gather data for the first months after the fact, and the materiality assessment is done under time pressure alongside data collection.
What may my customers demand if I am not in scope?
From financial year 2027, companies with up to 1,000 employees may decline information an in-scope customer requests for its report beyond the voluntary standard (Art. 19a(3) Directive 2013/34/EU). The standard is based on the VSME.
What does the auditor check in a CSRD report?
Whether the report complies with the directive, the ESRS and the EU taxonomy, including the materiality assessment process, with limited assurance (Art. 34(1)(aa) Directive 2013/34/EU).
What is assurance alongside preparation?
The auditor assures while you prepare the report: materiality assessment, data processes and drafts in stages instead of everything at the end. Findings come early, while you can still fix them.
Do the simplified ESRS apply already?
The simplified ESRS are set out in Delegated Regulation (EU) 2026/1563. It enters into force on 10 November 2026 and applies to financial years from 1 January 2027. For financial years beginning in 2026 you may choose between the old and the new version.
What do support or assurance of the CSRD report cost?
The fee depends on scope and effort. We give you the range after the intro call, and the fee is set out in writing in the engagement letter.
Intro call, 25 minutes
Materiality assessment done before your reporting year starts
Tell us headcount, turnover and where your assessment stands. In the intro call we say what should be done by then.
- Describe occasion and deadline
- Clarify what your occasion requires
- Learn scope, timeline and fee range
Helpful: your latest non-financial statement or an existing report.
You always speak with a German Public Accountant who knows the field.Free of charge, no obligation, via Microsoft Teams.
Prefer email or phone?
A reply to every e-mail within 48 hours on working days. If it is urgent, say so and we will answer as soon as we can.
What comes up alongside the CSRD report
- EU taxonomy
If the report must also include the taxonomy KPIs.
- EmpCo and transition plans
If statements from the report are to appear in advertising.
- Statutory audit
If one firm is to audit both the accounts and the sustainability report.