Study on Stakeholder Assessments of the Voluntary Sustainability Reporting Standard (DRSC Staff Paper)

On 07 May 2026, the DRSC published a staff-prepared study on stakeholders’ views on the European Commission‘s recommendation for a voluntary sustainability reporting standard (VS).

The findings of this study will also serve to support the DRSC’s comment letter on the European Commission’s consultation, published on 06 May 2026, regarding its proposal for a delegated act on the VS (see DRSC announcement). The European Commission’s consultation on this proposal runs until 03 June 2026. In connection with this consultation, the DRSC will hold a public information event on 12 May 2026 (registration here).

The objective of the published study is to analyse the suitability of the VS for the purpose defined by the European Commission from the perspective of various stakeholders. To this end, the DRSC staff conducted discussions with different stakeholder groups from October 2025 to March 2026. These discussions addressed the overall suitability of the VS, potential practical adjustments, and conceptual considerations that may be relevant for a future revision.

Overall, the stakeholders consulted consider the VS to be suitable for achieving the objectives of voluntary sustainability reporting set by the European Commission. However, it is essential that the VS gains broad acceptance among the diverse users of such sustainability information. If this is achieved, it may help to reduce individual information requests and establish a harmonised basis for voluntary sustainability reporting.

Background:

The VS may be applied by all undertakings that wish to provide sustainability information on a voluntary basis. According to the Omnibus Sustainability Package, this applies to all undertakings that do not exceed the thresholds of EUR 450 million in net turnover and 1,000 employees. According to the European Commission’s current plans, the VS is expected to be adopted as a delegated act by mid-2026, thereby establishing a harmonised framework for voluntary sustainability reporting in Europe.