Strategic Focus: The Future Of Voluntary Sustainability Reporting

Luke Gowland

Luke Gowland

Kim Knickle

Kim Knickle

12 Jun, 2023

Access this research

Access all Corporate Sustainability Leaders content with a strategic subscription or buy this single report

Need help or have a question about this report? Contact us for assistance

Executive Summary

Despite looming ESG disclosure regulations, support for voluntary sustainability reporting remains high on the corporate agenda. This report provides chief sustainability officers (CSOs) with an overview of the current work by the International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB) to create a global baseline for voluntary sustainability reporting, as well as guidance on how corporates can manage voluntary and regulated reporting side by side.  
Interoperability between voluntary and mandatory reporting standards is the critical success factor
The ISSB’s objective is a global reporting baseline, not standardization
Corporate appetite for voluntary reporting remains high
Corporates will continue to juggle voluntary and mandatory reporting for the foreseeable future
Figure 1. Formation of the ISSB standards
Figure 2. Interoperability table of major standards
Figure 3. ESG and sustainability processes funding priorities

About the Authors

Luke Gowland

Luke Gowland

Senior Analyst

Luke is a Senior Analyst at Verdantix, specializing in ESG and sustainability reporting software and financial ESG. He advises both technology buyers and software vendor and s...

Kim Knickle

Kim Knickle

Research Director

Kim Knickle is a Research Director at Verdantix, bringing more than two decades of analyst experience to the evolving world of sustainability. Her current research spans ESG a...

Other related content

Webinar
Sustainable Supply Chains
Sustainability Assurance & Due Diligence
Sustainability & Climate Risks
ESG & Sustainability Reporting Software
Corporate Sustainability Leaders
Corporate Sustainability & Climate Change Services
The State Of Sustainability: 2026 Globa...

The sustainability market is shifting fast – and not always in the direction anyone expected. Regulatory rollbacks and expansions, geopolitical realignment, and tightening budgets ...

Upcoming / 08 September, 2026

Webinar
Sustainable Supply Chains
Sustainability & Climate Risks
Corporate Sustainability & Climate Change Services
Corporate Sustainability Leaders
State Of The Market: Sustainability Con...

The sustainability market is shifting fast — and not always in the direction anyone expected. Regulatory rollbacks and expansions, geopolitical realignment, and tightening budgets ...

Upcoming / 23 July, 2026

Blog
Corporate Sustainability Leaders
AI Regulation, Skills Erosion And The G...

Earlier this month (June 2026), the Word Economic Forum (WEF) published a report focusing on the future of entry-level roles in a world of AI. Highlighting growing concern around...

29 June, 2026

Blog
Corporate Sustainability Leaders
ISSB – And Brazil – Survive Brazil’s Re...

In May 2026, Brazil’s Securities and Exchange Commission (CVM) softened its planned mandatory sustainability reporting regime through Resolution 244, shifting ISSB-aligned discl...

25 June, 2026

Blog
Corporate Sustainability Leaders
The CSRD For Non-EU Firms Is Narrower –...

EFRAG recently announced that it is restarting development of the Non-EU European Sustainability Reporting Standards (N-ESRS), providing the first indication of what affected fir...

23 June, 2026

Webinar
Sustainable Supply Chains
Sustainability Assurance & Due Diligence
Sustainability & Climate Risks
ESG & Sustainability Reporting Software
Corporate Sustainability Leaders
Corporate Sustainability & Climate Change Services
Corporate Energy Transition Solutions
Climate Financial Data & Analytics
Corporate Energy Leaders
Carbon Management Software
Built Environment Energy & Decarbonization
Full Charge Ahead: Navigating The EV Ch...

EV charging management software is moving quickly from a niche operational tool to a critical enterprise system, and the urgency for buyers is only increasing as the market matures...

18 June, 2026