CSRD Compliance

CSRD reporting: what it requires, who it affects, and what your report must contain

The Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) is the most significant expansion of corporate climate disclosure requirements in EU history — and its scope extends well beyond European borders through the value chain effect. This page explains the regulatory timeline accurately, describes what ESRS E1 actually requires you to disclose, and shows exactly what Circulyft produces for your statutory auditor.

Regulatory Timeline

When CSRD applies — and to whom

CSRD is being phased in by company size. Large companies were first. Mid-market companies with operations in or selling into the EU are coming into scope now.

FY 2024 — Reports filed 2025

Large EU public-interest entities (PIEs)

Companies with 500+ employees already subject to NFRD — the first cohort. Approximately 11,700 companies in scope. If you're already filing under NFRD, you're now filing under CSRD with expanded requirements including ESRS E1 for climate.

FY 2025 — Reports filed 2026

Large non-PIE companies (EU)

Companies meeting two of three thresholds: 250+ employees, €40M+ net turnover, €20M+ balance sheet. Estimated 49,000 additional companies. This is the cohort where mid-market manufacturers with EU operations first enter scope.

FY 2026 — Reports filed 2027

Listed SMEs and non-EU companies

EU-listed SMEs (with opt-out option until 2028) and non-EU companies with €150M+ EU-generated turnover and at least one large or listed EU subsidiary. US-headquartered companies with EU revenue exposure enter scope here.

Value Chain Effect — Now

Supplier CSRD readiness requests

Even if you're not directly in scope, EU customers who are in scope are now requesting Scope 3 emissions data from their suppliers. If you supply to any large EU manufacturer or retailer, expect a questionnaire request this year.

ESRS E1 Requirements

What ESRS E1 actually requires you to disclose

ESRS E1 is the climate standard under CSRD. It specifies exact disclosures for GHG inventory, transition plans, and physical risk — not vague principles.

E1-6 — Mandatory

GHG Inventory (Scope 1, 2, and 3)

Complete Scope 1-3 GHG inventory in tCO2e. Both market-based and location-based Scope 2. All material Scope 3 categories. Prior year comparative data. Intensity metrics.

Circulyft covers this fully

E1-1 — Mandatory

Transition Plan for Climate Change Mitigation

Description of company's plan to align with 1.5°C pathway. Target-setting, decarbonisation actions, and financing commitments. Qualitative narrative plus quantified milestones.

Narrative — supported by our data outputs

E1-4 — Mandatory

Climate Targets

Absolute and intensity-based GHG reduction targets. Base year, target year, interim milestones. Scope coverage must be specified. Science-based targets must reference SBTi or equivalent.

Base data and intensity metrics produced by Circulyft

E1-8, E1-9

Physical Risk and Internal Carbon Pricing

Disclosure of physical climate risks assessed under E1-8. If internal carbon pricing is used as a decarbonisation lever, the scope and price level must be disclosed under E1-9.

Scope supported; full physical risk assessment is client-led

Circulyft CSRD Output

What you actually get from Circulyft

Circulyft doesn't write your transition plan narrative or assess your physical climate risks — those are company decisions that require management judgment. What Circulyft produces is the verified GHG inventory dataset and pre-formatted ESRS E1 tables your auditor opens, traces to source, and signs off. The distinction matters: you make the strategy; we supply the numbers that can't be disputed.

ESRS E1 disclosure template

Pre-formatted disclosure tables covering E1-6 GHG inventory, intensity metrics, and prior-year comparison. Drop directly into your management report.

Linked audit trail

Every GHG figure in the ESRS E1 table is linked to its source calculation in the audit trail appendix. Statutory auditors can trace any number to its original data feed.

GHG table in required format

ESRS requires a specific tabular format for Scope 1, 2, and 3 GHG data. Our export matches this format exactly — no reformatting required.

Scope 1 — Direct emissions 2,847 tCO2e

Scope 2 — Market-based 1,189 tCO2e

Scope 2 — Location-based 1,629 tCO2e

Scope 3 — Value chain (15 cat.) 5,214 tCO2e

GHG intensity (per €M revenue) 92.4 tCO2e/€M

Audit trail attached 47 source refs

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