The European Commission (EC) has adopted a recommendation on a voluntary sustainability reporting standard for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The recommendation serves as an interim measure ahead of a formal delegated act, which will establish a future voluntary standard as part of the Omnibus I simplification package. Among other things, the Omnibus I package amends the EU Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) to make sustainability reporting more accessible and efficient.
The EC's standard is intended to make it easier for SMEs not covered by CSRD to respond to requests for sustainability information from large companies and financial institutions that are subject to CSRD. SMEs may also choose to voluntarily report sustainability information in line with the standard to enhance their access to sustainable finance and improve their internal sustainability performance monitoring. The EC encourages large companies and financial institutions to base their sustainability information requests to SMEs on this voluntary standard as far as possible. The upcoming delegated act, which may differ in content from the recommendation, will also introduce a "value-chain cap" to protect SMEs from disproportionate data demands from their value chain partners. Its adoption will depend on the timing and outcome of negotiations between the co-legislators on the Omnibus I proposal.
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