Client Alert: EU Finalizes Simplified ESRS on September 21, 2026

Your 2027 data is your 2028 Report.

The EU has finalized its simplified sustainability reporting standards. Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2026/1563 was published on September 21, replacing the existing ESRS annexes, and enters into force on November 10, 2026. The revised standards cut mandatory datapoints by over 60%.  

Who is affected 

EU Companies

EU companies and non-EU issuers with more than 1,000 employees on average and over 450 million in net turnover remain in CSRD scope. The first CSRD reports are expected in 2028 and should cover FY 2027.  

Non-EU companies

Non-EU companies exceeding 450 million(euros) net turnover generated in the EU and having at least one EU subsidiary or branch with over 200 million(euros) net turnover will report under ESRS-40a (currently in draft, anticipated to be published January 2027), with first reports due in 2029, expected to cover FY 2028.   

Why 2027 matters 

The revised ESRS applies to financial years beginning with January 1, 2027. The first report comes in 2028, but the data behind it starts on January 1. First-time reporters don’t need prior-year comparatives in year one, but FY 2027 data become the baseline. Emissions, workforce, and value chain data need consistent methods, boundaries, and controls from the start of the year.  

Relief for first-time reporters: 

• No comparative information is required in the first reporting year. 

• Biodiversity (E5) and the value chain workers, affected communities, and consumers standards (S2 to S4) can be omitted for the first two years. 

• Most anticipated financial effects are also phased in over two to four years. 

Value Chain Requests 

Starting in FY 2027, in-scope companies cannot require value chain partners with an average of 1,000 employees or fewer, including non-EU suppliers, to provide information beyond the short list of essential ESG data points in Annex II of the EU’s Voluntary Standard (Delegated Regulation (EU 2026/1560). Supplier data requests for 2027 should be designed around this limit. 

Companies already reporting (FY 2026) 

Companies already reporting under the existing ESRS may choose between: 

1. The existing ESRS 

2. The ESRS, supplemented by eight specific reliefs from the revised standards 

3. The Revised ESRS in full 

Companies must state in their sustainability statement which version they applied.  

How KERAMIDA is helping companies with CSRD readiness 

1. Confirming whether your organization is in scope under the new thresholds. 

2. Performing and refreshing Double Materiality Assessments against the revised standards. 

3. Collecting, managing, and mapping data against EFRAG’s revised list of data points with a Gap Assessment and Implementation Roadmap. 

4. Supporting companies in closing gaps in the Roadmap with additional sustainability services such as GHG Inventories, ESG training, etc.  

Client Alert: CARB Releases Multiple SB 253 2026 Reporting Resources for Upcoming November 10th Deadline

On September 1, 2026, The California Air Resources Board (CARB) released multiple resources for the CARB proposed November 10, 2026 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reporting deadline, required by Senate Bill (SB) 253. The key update is the introduction of two submittal options for 2026 reporting: a new voluntary Report Intake Platform, and the ability to submit reports and contact information via email. 

New CARB Resources 

• A voluntary 2026 Report Intake Platform that entities may choose to use. Use of this platform is not mandatory. Entities may also email emissions reports and contact information to climatedisclosure@arb.ca.gov. 

• A  Guidance Document for SB 253 2026 Reporting Submittals

• A video tutorial of the voluntary report intake platform

Acceptable Reporting Formats for 2026 

Entities may satisfy their 2026 reporting obligation by: 

• Submitting an existing annual report that includes Scope 1 and Scope 2 GHG emissions. 

• Submitting existing Scope 1 and Scope 2 data already reported to other programs or voluntary initiatives. 

• Using CARB’s Draft Scope 1 and Scope 2 GHG Reporting Template for reporting Scope 1 and Scope 2 data. 

• Submitting a statement of non-reporting (on company letterhead) if the entity was not collecting, and was not planning to collect, Scope 1 and Scope 2 data as of December 5, 2024, when the Enforcement Notice was issued.  

Emissions reports, non-reporting statements, and contact information may be submitted via the voluntary 2026 Report Intake Platform or emailed to climatedisclosure@arb.ca.gov. All emission reports or statements of non-reporting will be made public. 

Key Clarifications 

• Minimum reporting scope: For 2026, reporting entities submitting reports are only required to provide their annual Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions. Additional details – methodology descriptions, data sources, global warming potential (GWP) values, emission factors, organizational boundaries, disaggregated emissions data by category and gas, and any assumptions used – are optional, not required. 

• Reporting template is voluntary: CARB’s Draft Scope 1 and Scope 2 GHG Reporting Template, posted on October 10, 2025, may be used, but its use is not mandatory for this cycle.  

• CARB will still accept submissions whether or not assurance has been obtained for the 2026 cycle. 

• CARB is currently developing the reporting requirements for 2027, and this guidance only applies to the 2026 reporting cycle. 

California SB 253 Consulting Services

Our team ensures your emissions data meets the rigorous standards of California SB 253 – accurately tracked, reported, and verified.

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Contact

Erica Skowron, MS, LEED GA
Senior Manager, GHG & Sustainability Data
KERAMIDA Inc.

Contact Erica at: eskowron@keramida.com

Client Alert: ISO Releases Draft of First Global Net Zero Standard (ISO 14060)

The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) released a draft of its Net Zero Aligned Organizations Standard (ISO/DIS 14060) on June 17, 2026. Building on the 2022 ISO Net Zero Guidelines (IWA 42), the draft translates ISO’s early recommendations into the first internationally recognized, independently verifiable standard for corporate net zero transition planning. The draft is open for a 12-week public consultation through ISO's national member bodies, with national consensus positions expected by early September and final publication anticipated in late 2026 or early 2027.

ISO 14060 has the potential to consolidate a fragmented landscape of competing "net zero" definitions and guidance into a single, auditable framework. The draft standard sets requirements for setting science-aligned targets, publishing a transition plan within two years of a net-zero commitment, and demonstrating verifiable progress. Notably, it restricts carbon credits to residual emissions rather than counting them toward reduction targets, requires front-loaded reductions against a cumulative GHG budget, and applies a significance test for determining which Scope 3 categories warrant formal targets. Its release one week after SBTi's Corporate Net Zero Standard V2.0 signals a broader convergence on what credible organizational net zero requires.

For organizations, ISO 14060 offers a path toward transition plans that are defensible under real scrutiny rather than treated as voluntary pledges. KERAMIDA will continue to monitor the standard's development through the consultation period and will provide updates as it advances toward final publication.

Questions about how ISO 14060 may affect your organization’s net-zero strategy or transition planning? Contact KERAMIDA to speak with one of our sustainability experts.