EFRAG maps tools and platforms for SME sustainability reporting
EFRAG has published two new reports mapping digital tools, platforms and initiatives designed to support application of the EU’s Voluntary Sustainability Reporting Standard for SMEs (VSME). The first provides a comparison of greenhouse gas (GHG) calculators, while the second surveys more than 200 reporting platforms and initiatives across Europe.
The reports show a wide variety of approaches. Some government-developed platforms, such as France’s Portail RSE and Denmark’s ESG Template, declare full alignment with VSME. Others, including the German Sustainability Code and Italy’s MEF questionnaire, indicate partial alignment. Among private initiatives, only a handful are fully aligned, with most still developing towards VSME compatibility.
EFRAG acknowledges that alignment remains patchy and that self-assessments are not always reliable. It suggests that a verification mechanism may be needed to ensure consistent implementation of the standard, potentially leveraging the VSME XBRL taxonomy.
From our perspective, this is a promising start, but the real test will be whether these tools evolve into genuine digital reporting solutions producing structured, comparable XBRL data. Digital disclosures are a key part of the puzzle in realising the promise of reduced reporting costs and improved usability for SMEs.
Read more on EFRAG’s website.
