In view of the CSRD Directive, companies, auditors and the regulator will need to understand and comply with these new requirements on sustainability reporting, and adapt their processes to do so. The Haut Conseil du Commissariat aux Comptes (H3C), which has been approached to become the regulatory authority for these auditors, is actively preparing for this new environment. The ETUC is part of the audition group.

In view of the fact that there are currently no European standards governing this new task, the H3C Board has decided to ask a working group to draw up guidelines to help auditors understand the work to be done and to guide them in formally expressing their conclusions.

Click here to get to access the report

These guidelines will also contribute to ongoing European and international standard-setting discussions.

The European CSRD directive requires the largest companies to publish sustainability information on environmental, social and governance issues from 2025, in respect of the 2024 financial year. To this end, this information will be subject to independent control by an independent auditor, statutory auditor or assurance provider, initially entrusted with a limited assurance mission. Sustainability reporting, even as part of the management report, only has to be subjected to a limited assurance review by the auditor - or another auditor if necessary.