ESRS-Professional GRI Exam Lab Questions

Nature is indeed recognized as a "silent stakeholder" in the European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS). This term implies that, although nature cannot actively voice its concerns, it remains a critical component of sustainability reporting due to its fundamental role in sustaining life and economic activity. ESRS emphasizes that organizations must consider their impacts on nature, ecosystems, and biodiversity as part of their sustainability disclosures.

This recognition aligns with the concept ofdouble materialityembedded in the ESRS framework, which considers both the financial impact on an organization and the organization's impact on environmental and social matters. The ESRS explicitly integratesbiodiversity and ecosystems (ESRS E4)as a key topic, reflecting the need to account for the effects of business activities on nature, even if nature itself cannot actively advocate for protection.

Thesilent stakeholderconcept reinforces theduty of carethat organizations hold in assessing and mitigating their impacts on biodiversity, land use, pollution, and natural resources. This aligns with theUnited Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)and theEU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030, both of which emphasize the protection and restoration of natural ecosystems​.

Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2023/2772 of 31 July 2023(ESRS E4 - Biodiversity and Ecosystems)​.

EFRAG Guidance on Stakeholder Engagement– Highlights nature as an affected stakeholder in sustainability matters​.

EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030– Emphasizes that economic activities must integrate ecosystem preservation and restoration​.

Official References:This confirms that the statement istrueunder ESRS standards.

Under the ESRS framework, financial materiality is assessed based on a combination of:

Likelihood of occurrence– The probability that a sustainability matter will have a financial impact.

Potential magnitude of financial effects– The scale of the impact on financial position, performance, cash flows, access to finance, or cost of capital over short-, medium-, or long-term periods​.

This is outlined in ESRS 1, which states that a sustainability matter isfinancially materialif it could reasonably be expected totrigger material financial effectson an undertaking. Financial materiality is not limited to issues under the direct control of the company; it includesdependencies on natural, human, and social resourcesthat could create risks or opportunities​.

Option A:The ESRS framework allows for bothqualitative and quantitative thresholds, not just monetary ones (e.g., revenue or costs)​.

Option C:Reputational risks can be financially material, as they may affect access to finance, cost of capital, or customer trust, ultimately influencing the company’s financial performance​.

Option D:Thefinancial materiality assessmentis conducted for theshort-, medium-, and long-term, not just the short term​.

Why the other options are incorrect:References:

Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2023/2772​

Compilation Explanations January - July 2024, ESRS 1 on Financial Materiality​

EFRAG Guidance on Double Materiality and Risk Assessments​

TheEU Taxonomyand theESRS digital taxonomyserve different purposes in sustainability reporting:

EU Taxonomyis a classification system that identifiesenvironmentally sustainable economic activitiesand establishes criteria for determining their contribution to environmental objectives. It is primarily used to guide investment decisions and financial disclosures​.

ESRS Digital Taxonomyis a structureddigital frameworkthat ensures sustainability disclosures aremachine-readable, standardized, and comparableunder theCorporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD)​.

Key Differences:Aspect

EU Taxonomy

ESRS Digital Taxonomy

Purpose

Classifies sustainable economic activities

Enables structured digital sustainability reporting

Scope

Environmental focus on investments & economic activities

Comprehensive reporting across environmental, social, and governance (ESG) areas

Users

Financial institutions, investors

Reporting entities, auditors, regulators

Regulation

UnderEU Taxonomy Regulation (2020/852)

UnderCSRD (Directive 2022/2464/EU)

References:

EU Platform on Sustainable Finance Report: Simplifying the EU Taxonomy​

Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2023/2772​

TheEnvironmental Sectionof the topical ESRS includes disclosure requirements covering environmental sustainability matters. This section specifically relates toenvironmental objectives as defined in the EU Taxonomy, ensuring alignment with broader European sustainability goals.

Thetopical ESRS environmental standards (ESRS E1 - E5)cover:

ESRS E1– Climate Change (Mitigation & Adaptation)

ESRS E2– Pollution

ESRS E3– Water and Marine Resources

ESRS E4– Biodiversity and Ecosystems

ESRS E5– Resource Use and Circular Economy

These standardsalign with the environmental objectives of the EU Taxonomy Regulation(Regulation (EU) 2020/852) andrequire organizations to report on their material environmental impacts, risks, and opportunities (IROs)​.

A. Social impact and labor rights:→Incorrect, as this belongs to theSocial (S) section(ESRS S1 - S4).

B. Financial performance information:→Incorrect, as this is part offinancial reporting, not ESRS environmental disclosures.

D. Corporate governance and board diversity:→Incorrect, as governance matters are covered underESRS G1 Business Conduct​.

Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2023/2772​

Compilation Explanations January - November 2024​

Why Other Options Are Incorrect:Official References: