Course Description

If you’re preparing to report under the European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS) and aiming for CSRD compliance, this course is your essential starting point. It focuses on one of the most critical foundations of ESRS: double materiality.

You’ll get a hands-on, practical approach to planning and executing a double materiality assessment — step by step from identifying material impacts, risks, and opportunities (IROs) to documenting and disclosing results in accordance with ESRS requirements.

Throughout the course, you will:

• Understand the concept and significance of double materiality in ESRS,
• Assess impact materiality and financial materiality — and how they connect,
• Translate assessment outcomes into reporting scope and content,
• Apply lessons from real-life case studies, tools, and templates.

By the end of this course, you will be able to effectively conduct and apply a double materiality assessment that meets ESRS requirements, informs reporting scope and content, and strengthens the credibility of your sustainability disclosures.

 

Course Content / Training Agenda

Delivery format: Interactive training with expert guidance, applied exercises, and case studies.

♦ Introduction

• Course objectives and outcomes
• Key definitions (IROs, impact vs. financial materiality, value chain scope)
• Why double materiality is pivotal for CSRD/ESRS

♦ Part 1: The Concept of Materiality — Definitions, Importance, Trends

• Materiality across global frameworks (GRI, ISSB/IFRS, TCFD)
• Evolution of materiality and regulator expectations
• Group discussion: Where organisations typically struggle

♦ Part 2: Double Materiality in the ESRS

• ESRS view: impact materiality vs. financial materiality
• Interactions between the two perspectives
• Value chain, data boundaries, and stakeholder inputs
• Mini-exercise: mapping likely IROs by function (Ops/Finance/Risk/Legal)

♦ Part 3: The ABCs of Performing a Double Materiality Assessment

• Step-by-step process:
  1. Scoping & governance (roles, timeline, documentation)
  2. IRO identification (internal/external sources; sector & geography lenses)
  3.  Stakeholder mapping and engagement techniques
  4. Data collection and evidence standards
  5. Scoring & thresholds (impact severity/likelihood; financial magnitude/probability)
  6. Consolidation and validation (management review; auditor readiness)
• Hands-on exercise: draft a simple scoring matrix

♦ Part 4: Results to Disclosures — From Matrix to Report

• Prioritising topics and linking to ESRS topical standards
• Traceability: from IRO → material topic → disclosure requirement
• Controls, documentation, and assurance-ready files

♦ Part 5: Materiality in Action — Practical Tips

• Common pitfalls and how to avoid them
• Right-sizing for first-time reporters vs. advanced reporters
• Tools, templates, and checkpoints for an efficient process

♦ Supplementary: Real-World Case Studies

• Short cases illustrating governance, data challenges, and remediation
• What worked, what didn’t, and why

♦ Wrap-Up

• Key takeaways and FAQ
• Next steps to embed a repeatable annual process

All participants receive slides, templates (scoring matrix, stakeholder map, IRO log), and a Certificate of Completion.

 

Target Audience

Ideal for:

• Sustainability/ESG professionals preparing a first ESRS report
• Consultants supporting double materiality projects
• External assurance and internal audit professionals aligning on evidence
• Corporate reporting, finance, risk, and strategy teams
• Project managers and analysts coordinating CSRD readiness

Skills You Will Acquire

• Explain global materiality trends and the ESRS double materiality approach
• Run a step-by-step double materiality assessment (criteria, scoring, thresholds)
• Integrate value chain data and stakeholder engagement credibly
• Convert assessment results into ESRS-aligned disclosures and documentation
• Apply practical tips from real-world case studies to strengthen your process

These skills help you meet EU regulatory expectations and produce decision-useful, transparent disclosures.

Course Information

• Duration: 2 days
• Language: English or Bosnian/Croatian/Serbian
• Delivery Options: Live remote training or face-to-face workshops
• Prerequisites: No prior knowledge required
• Certificate: Certificate of Completion (issued by GRI Academy — see example)
• Course Fees: View Course Fees (including available discounts)
• What We Offer: Explore Course Benefits (tekst ispod)
• SDG Alignment: Your Contribution to Achieving the UN SDGs (tekst ispod)
• Note: This course is part of the ESRS Professional Certification Program

Top 3 Relevant Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production

• Enhances impact identification for pollution, resource use, waste
• Links outcomes to ESRS E2–E5 for responsible operations
• Encourages upstream/downstream value chain accountability

SDG 13: Climate Action

• Identifies financially material climate risks and transition impacts
• Reinforces ESRS-aligned climate reporting (ESRS E1)
• Promotes climate-related engagement and value chain data

SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

• Builds transparency into impact/risk assessments
• Encourages ethical governance and stakeholder responsiveness
• Uses structured methodologies for credible public disclosure

What We Offer

• Live, Instructor-Led Sessions — practical walkthroughs and case studies
• Interactive Exercises — scoring matrices, IRO mapping, knowledge checks
• Peer Collaboration — group working sessions and feedback
• Smart Learning Tools — templates, glossaries, and quick-reference guides
• Local Context & EU Relevance — grounded in CSRD/ESRS realities
• Direct Trainer Access — personalised guidance and Q&A

 

Learning objectives

By the end of this course, you will be able to:

1. Reflects on materiality trends in the sustainability reporting landscape
2. Define the concept of double materiality in the context of reporting with the ESRS
3. Explain the practical steps of double materiality assessment in the ESRS
4. Reflect on the importance of collecting value chain information and engaging with stakeholders for the materiality assessment
5. Apply the knowledge gained by analyzing practical insights and case studies