VIBE's New White Paper: Helps Navigate ESG Reporting Frameworks

As expectations to report ESG data have intensified, myriad ESG reporting frameworks have been developed to guide organizations' reporting of their sustainability-related impacts, performance, risks, opportunities, and strategies. While all frameworks demand some form of ESG data, they vary widely in reporting methodology, disclosure content, target audience, and level of industry adoption.

Verdani's nonprofit institute, VIBE, has published a new white paper focused on demystifying and decoding the complex world of ESG reporting frameworks. It aims to provide clarity on the current ESG reporting landscape by identifying, describing, and categorizing the key ESG reporting frameworks and offering insight into why, how, and when they should be applied. The paper, titled "Navigating ESG Reporting Frameworks: A Comprehensive Guide," provides a detailed explanation of more than 40 key frameworks across five key reporting categories, including: Standards and Guidance Frameworks, Voluntary Disclosure Frameworks, Involuntary Third-Party Aggregators, Net Zero Emissions Initiatives, and Regulations.

Each framework summary includes a useful summary of considerations an organization may want to consider in determining whether to undertake a particular framework, including participation fee, time commitment, and assessment methodology. Additionally, all frameworks within a category are compared for easy reference. Given the Verdani Institute for the Built Environment’s (VIBE) focus on built environment sustainability, the frameworks covered are most relevant for the commercial real estate industry, yet this information is also intended to be useful for most U.S.-based companies.