Advisory or assurance
VSME report: one basis for banks, customers and the group
One report instead of many questionnaires. From financial year 2027, CSRD customers may demand at most the voluntary standard from firms of up to 1,000 employees for their sustainability report.
Sustainability report
SampleVSME
- Energy
- Emissions
- Workforce
Voluntary standard
Who asks, and what your report is for
The VSME is the voluntary standard for companies without a CSRD duty. One report is the common basis for the questions of bank, customers and group.
VSME
What about your emissions and climate risks?
Large banks supervised by the ECB are to collect ESG data from borrowers and also use VSME disclosures.
EBA/GL/2025/01 paras 24, 25What you build once, you use for each of these requests.EU voluntary standard based on the VSME: Delegated Regulation (EU) 2026/1560, Annex I
- Bank: What about your emissions and climate risks? Large banks supervised by the ECB are to collect ESG data from borrowers and also use VSME disclosures.
- Customer: Which data do you provide for our report? Under the Directive, in-scope customers may not demand more than the voluntary standard from companies with up to 1,000 employees for their sustainability report, from financial year 2027.
- Group: What do you report to the parent company? If the parent reports under the CSRD, it requests your data for its group report under the ESRS. The VSME report is a basis for it.
Where the data comes from
- Electricity, gas and fuel invoicesEnergy and emissionsBasic Module B3
- Water and waste invoicesWater and wasteBasic Module B6, B7
- Payroll and HR dataWorkforceBasic Module B8
Your VSME report
Basic Module, the Comprehensive Module where needed. Built once, updated every year.
Much of it is already in invoices and HR data.
Where we come in on your VSME report
- Collect requestsWho asks what: bank, customer, group.
- Choose modulesBasic Module, the Comprehensive Module if needed.
- Collect dataEnergy, emissions, staff, waste.
- Present the reportPrepared once, the basis for every request.
Advisoryworked out with you
or
Auditindependently confirmed
If we build your report with you, another auditor assures it. If we assure it, we do not advise on its content.
Who supports or assures your VSME 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 energyArticles on sustainability reporting in NWB and with C.H. Beck. We developed a green electricity audit programme and audit the suppliers of ZF Friedrichshafen AG worldwide.
- With a Big Four backgroundYour German Public Accountant learned auditing at Big Four firms, in financial statement and sustainability audits.
“[…] The whole process was very well structured, questions were answered quickly and competently, and we always felt securely guided through the audit. […]”
What mid-sized companies ask before their first VSME report
Do I have to prepare a VSME report?
No, the VSME is voluntary. It is a basis for your answer when banks, customers or the parent company ask for sustainability data.
Basic or comprehensive module?
The basic module is the minimum. The comprehensive module holds data that banks, investors and corporate clients are likely to request in addition; it requires the basic module.
What does assurance of the VSME report bring?
With the assurance report you give banks and customers data that a German Public Accountant has examined with limited assurance.
What may customers with a CSRD duty ask of us from 2027?
If you have at most 1,000 employees on average, the Directive lets you refuse information that a reporting customer requests for its sustainability report beyond the voluntary standard. This applies to financial years from 1 January 2027 and only to requests for that purpose (Art. 19a(3) Accounting Directive, Art. 3 Delegated Regulation (EU) 2026/1560). Germany has not yet passed the transposing act (as of 15.10.2026).
Do banks use the VSME report?
Under the guidelines of the European Banking Authority, banks should collect ESG data from their clients and use their sustainability disclosures for it, expressly including those under the voluntary standard (EBA/GL/2025/01, para. 25). They apply to significant banks supervised by the ECB since 11 January 2026. For the other banks, BaFin governs ESG risks in its MaRisk and adopts the guidelines there only in part.
What does building or assuring a VSME 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
Who is asking you for data right now?
Send us the bank’s or customer’s request. In the intro call we say which modules you need for it.
- Describe occasion and deadline
- Clarify what your occasion requires
- Learn scope, timeline and fee range
Helpful: the questionnaire, your energy bills and headcount figures.
You always speak directly with a German Public Accountant.No cost, 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 can follow a VSME report
- CSRD reports
If your company grows into the reporting obligation.
- EU taxonomy
If customers or the bank ask about taxonomy-aligned revenue.
- EmpCo and transition plans
If you advertise green claims and want to know which hold.