ESRS-Professional ESRS Professional Certification Exam Questions and Answers

Thedouble materiality assessment processconsists of multiple steps, withStep A: Understanding the Contextfocusing on setting the groundwork for identifying material impacts, risks, and opportunities (IROs).

Step A includes:

Mapping the organization's value chain (Option A)

This step involves identifying all elements of the organization's value chain, including suppliers, distributors, and business partners, to understand where sustainability impacts occur.

It helps in pinpointing potential sustainability matters, risks, and opportunities related to both impact and financial materiality​.

Engaging with affected stakeholders to gather input (Option B)

Stakeholder engagement is a critical part of the materiality assessment as it informs the organization about direct and indirect sustainability impacts.

The ESRS guidance stresses that businesses must engage with affected stakeholders (e.g., employees, communities, consumers) and sustainability experts as part of the due diligence process​.

Analyzing the legal and regulatory landscape (Option C)

Organizations must review applicable laws, regulatory frameworks, and international sustainability commitments that may affect their sustainability reporting obligations.

This ensures compliance withEU regulations (CSRD, ESRS, Taxonomy Regulation, SFDR)and other relevant legal requirements​.

D. Developing a list of material risks and opportunities

This step belongs toStep B: Identifying Material Sustainability Matters, where the organization formally identifies and assesses material IROs. Step A is only about gathering contextual information to inform this process​.

Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2023/2772, Section 3.3- Double materiality and materiality assessment process​.

EFRAG IG 1: Materiality Assessment, Chapter 2.2- Understanding the context and engagement with affected stakeholders​.

EFRAG Compilation of Explanations January–November 2024- Provides clarifications on stakeholder engagement and legal context review in Step A​.

Incorrect Answer:Official References:

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:

Impact materiality is indeed considered thestarting pointfor thedouble materiality assessmentin the ESRS. The reason is that material impacts on sustainability matters cangenerate financial risks and opportunitiesin the future. TheESRS frameworkfollows this structure because:

Interrelation Between Impact and Financial Materiality

Double materiality includestwo dimensions:a)Impact materiality(how the company affects people and the environment).b)Financial materiality(how sustainability matters affect the company’s financial performance).

Impact materiality assessments oftenprecedefinancial materiality because many sustainability issues initially manifest asexternal environmental and social impactsbefore affecting the company’sfinancial results​.

Regulatory Confirmation of Impact as the Starting Point

According toESRS 1, section 3.3, impact materiality is typically assessedfirst, unless afinancial risk or opportunity exists independentlyof an impact​.

A sustainability mattermay become financially materialover time due to regulatory changes, evolving market expectations, or direct financial consequences.

Illustration of the Double Materiality Process

Example: A company engaged inhigh carbon emissionsmight initially consider this animpact materiality issue(environmental harm). However,increased carbon pricing, regulatory changes, and shifting investor preferencescan latertransform this into a financial materiality issue.

Conclusion:Sinceimpact materiality serves as a precursorto financial materiality in most cases, the statement istrue.

Official Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2023/2772, various EFRAG guidance documents, and CSRD-related references:

Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2023/2772, ESRS 1, Section 3.3:Double Materiality Framework​.

EFRAG Compilation of Explanations (January - July 2024): Confirmation that impact materiality assessment is the typicalentry point​.

Under ESRS, organizations are required to disclose material impacts, risks, and opportunities (IRO) in accordance withdouble materiality principles. The ESRS framework emphasizes transparency and structured reporting of sustainability matters that arematerial from both impact and financial perspectives.

Key Disclosure Requirements for Material IROsAccording to ESRS 2, organizations must disclose:

(A) The outcomes of their double materiality assessment: Organizations need to explain how they determined material sustainability matters, covering both impact and financial materiality​.

(B) Information outlined in the topical ESRS and sector-specific standards: The disclosure of IROs must align withspecific ESRS topical standards(e.g., ESRS E1 for climate change, ESRS S1 for own workforce) andsector-specific standards, ensuring comprehensive reporting​.

(C) Minimum Disclosure Requirements on policies, actions, and targets: Organizations must disclosepolicies, strategies, action plans, and progress tracking mechanismsrelated to managing material sustainability risks and opportunities. ESRS mandates these disclosures to provide transparency on an entity’s approach torisk mitigation and opportunity realization​.

(D) A general overview of their sustainability policies, even if unrelated to specific material matters:

ESRS doesnotrequire companies to provide general sustainability policy overviewsunlessthey relate to material sustainability matters. The focus is on material disclosures that affect business operations or external stakeholders​.

Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2023/2772, ESRS 2, Section 4.1 & IRO-1– Covers disclosure requirements for identifying and assessing material impacts, risks, and opportunities​.

EFRAG Compilation Explanations (January – November 2024)– Details about ESRS 1 and ESRS 2 disclosure requirements on materiality​.

Incorrect OptionOfficial References:

TheCorporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD)replaced theNon-Financial Reporting Directive (NFRD)to address itslimitationsin scope and reporting requirements. Below are the explanations for each option:

A. False– The NFRDdid notrequire all companies in the EU to include a non-financial statement. Instead, itapplied only to large public-interest entitieswith 500 or more employees.

B. True– The NFRD applied tolarge public-interest entities, includinglisted companies, banks, and insurance firms with more than 500 employees​.

C. False– The NFRDdid not mandate external assurancefor sustainability information. TheCSRD introduced mandatory assuranceat the EU level​.

D. False– The CSRDdid not replace the NFRD; rather, itexpanded and strengthened reporting requirements. TheNFRD was replaced by the CSRD, but not the other way around​.

E. True– TheCSRD was introduced to improve the scope and depth of sustainability reportingcompared to the NFRD. Itexpanded the number of entities required to report, standardized disclosures via ESRS, and introduced third-party assurance requirements​.

Key Differences Between CSRD and NFRDFeature

NFRD (Old Directive)

CSRD (New Directive)

Scope

Large public-interest entities (500+ employees)

All large companies + listed SMEs

Assurance

Not required

Mandatory external assurance

Disclosure Requirements

Limited sustainability disclosures

Comprehensive ESRS-based reporting

Reporting Standards

No standardized framework

ESRS-based mandatory framework

Application Date

In force since 2018

Applies from 2024 onwards

CSRD Directive (EU) 2022/2464– Assurance & Reporting Provisions​.

ESRS Compilation Explanations January - November 2024​.

Official References:

Entity-specific disclosures are required if a material sustainability matter is not covered or sufficiently detailed in the ESRS. According toESRS 1, paragraph 11, if an undertaking identifies an impact, risk, or opportunity that isnot adequately coveredby an ESRS but ismaterial due to itsspecific facts and circumstances, it must provideadditional entity-specific disclosures. This ensures that users of sustainability reports receive relevant and complete information​.

ESRS 1, paragraph 11:

Requires entity-specific disclosures when material sustainability matters are missing or not sufficiently covered in the ESRS.

ESRS 1, paragraph 30:

Mandates that companiesmustdisclose additional entity-specific disclosures if material matters are not covered with sufficient granularity in ESRS​.

ESRS 1, Appendix A (Application Requirements):

Provides further guidance on entity-specific disclosures, ensuring consistency and comparability while allowing companies to disclose material matters not addressed by ESRS​.

ESRS 2, Disclosure Requirements (SBM-3, IRO-1, GOV-1 to GOV-5):

Outlines theminimum disclosure requirementsthat apply when companies make entity-specific disclosures related to governance, strategy, impacts, risks, and opportunity management​.

Key Provisions from ESRS:Thus, if a sustainability matter is deemedmaterialand is not sufficiently addressed by ESRS,entity-specific disclosures are mandatory.

Official References:

Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2023/2772, ESRS 1, Paragraphs 11 and 30​.

ESRS Implementation Q&A Platform – Compilation of Explanations January – November 2024​.

Step A in thedouble materiality assessment processis theinitial stagewhere an organization establishes a foundational understanding of itsbusiness context, activities, and stakeholder relationships. This step is critical in identifying how the entity interacts with environmental, social, and governance (ESG) matters and lays the groundwork for further impact and financial materiality assessments.

Thedouble materiality conceptin the ESRS framework requires organizations to evaluate both:

Impact materiality– How an organization’s activities impact people and the environment.

Financial materiality– How sustainability matters influence the organization's financial position, performance, and cash flows.

Identifying the business environment:Understanding industry-specific sustainability challenges, regulatory requirements, and stakeholder expectations.

Recognizing affected stakeholders:Engaging internal and external stakeholders to determine which sustainability matters are relevant.

Defining dependencies and risks:Evaluating the organization’s dependencies on natural, social, and human capital, and how these can influence business outcomes.

Understanding sector and geographical relevance:Assessing which sustainability issues are most significant based on where the company operates.

Key Aspects of Step A in Double Materiality Assessment:Step A does not yet involve selecting specific disclosure requirements (Step B) or conducting a financial materiality assessment (Step C). Instead, it provides thecontextual frameworknecessary for subsequent steps in the materiality process​.

Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2023/2772, ESRS 1, Section 3.1– Defines stakeholders' role in materiality assessment​.

EFRAG Compilation Explanations January - November 2024– Provides guidance on applying double materiality and the importance of Step A​.

EFRAG IG 1 Materiality Assessment, Chapter 2.2– Outlines Step A as the process of understanding business activities, stakeholders, and sustainability context​.

Official References:Thus, the correct answer isC. Understand the organization's context, activities, and stakeholders.

ACSRD assurance engagementprimarily focuses onensuring compliance with the ESRSand theproper digital tagging of sustainability information. The elements included in the assurance scope are:

B. Compliance of the reporting with the relevant ESRS✅

Assurance engagements under the CSRDverify whether sustainability reports comply with the European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS).

Theassurance provider reviews disclosuresto ensure alignment withESRS requirements, includingdouble materiality assessments and mandatory data points​.

C. Compliance with the requirement to tag the sustainability reporting✅

CSRD requires that sustainability information bedigitally taggedusing theEuropean Single Electronic Format (ESEF)to ensuremachine readability and comparability​.

Assurance providers verify the correct application of this tagging requirement, ensuring consistency withXBRL (eXtensible Business Reporting Language) standards.

ACSRD assurance engagement does not cover financial statements.

Financial audits are conducted separately, under theInternational Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) or local GAAP requirements.

Sustainability assurance only applies tonon-financial sustainability disclosuresunderESRS​.

Why is A. Verification of the company's financial statements❌incorrect?Conclusion:Thescope of a CSRD assurance engagementincludes:✅Compliance with ESRS(B)✅Verification of digital tagging(C)❌Not financial statement audits(A)

Official Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2023/2772, various EFRAG guidance documents, and CSRD-related references:

Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2023/2772, ESRS assurance scope​.

EU Sustainable Finance Platform Report (2025): Confirmation ofdigital tagging as part of CSRD assurance​.

2023/2772, various EFRAG guidance documents, and reports related to CSRD, ESRS, stakeholder engagement, double materiality, external assurance, and digital reporting Study guide References at the end of each question

Under the ESRS framework, effectiveinternal controlsfor assurance purposes must meet key characteristics to ensure reliability, traceability, and auditability.

(A) Documentation & Implementation:Internal controls must be formally documented, implemented as per the designated schedule, and consistently applied​.

(C) Testability by External Assurance Providers:Assurance providers must be able to verify the controls, test their effectiveness, and ensure compliance with CSRD assurance requirements​.

(B) Same Staff Performing & Assuring the Control:A fundamental principle of internal control is theseparation of dutiesto avoid conflicts of interest. The control must be performed by one team and assured independently​.

(D) No Need for Documentation:Proper documentation ismandatoryfor internal controls to enable traceability, testing, and regulatory compliance​.

Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2023/2772, GOV-5:Risk management and internal controls over sustainability reporting, highlighting the necessity of internal control mechanisms​.

EFRAG Assurance Guidelines:Stipulating that documented controls must be verifiable and tested for external assurance​.

Correct Options Explained:Incorrect Options Explained:ESRS References: