Asset Owners & Managers: How trustworthy is your sustainability data?

Can you confidently make asset management decisions with your sustainability data? Are your GHG calculations, methodologies and strategies robust enough?

Numerous sources show that an increasing number of companies are assuring their ESG disclosures, for example the number of US companies assuring ESG has nearly doubled in three years. We spoke to Verco’s Head of Report for Zero, Emilija Emma to find out why companies are turning to external help.

Which sustainability data is being assured?

This really varies by data type and level of assurance. For instance, GHG is the most commonly assured data type, and within GHG reporting, Scope 3 is the least assured.  Validation of sustainability strategies and commitments is also a growing area. 

Why do you think sustainability assurance is on the increase?

As well as needing reliable data in order to make sound decisions, assurance is now variously mandated, rewarded and encouraged by sustainability reporting bodies, rules and benchmarking schemes. This includes the EU CSRD, CDP, GRESB, and the US SEC Climate Rules and California Senate Bill No. 253. Our assurance download is a handy reference of all of these:

Download the assurance document here

Can sustainability assurance be part of the wider financial assurance that businesses might be doing already?

There are big differences between the assurance of sustainability information and financial data. Sustainability data collection and reporting is less mature, lacks long-standing procedures and has relatively poor quality of the underlying data. Added to this are the ever-evolving standards and guidance. Fungibility/ global comparability is also more difficult since sustainability reporting covers a wide and diverse range of topics (as well as qualitative and quantitative measures!). Therefore, sustainability data tends to be more difficult to assure. As you can probably tell, sustainability expertise is crucial. 

Our service:

All the independent, expertise you need to have complete trust in your sustainability disclosures and commitments.

We use our expertise in net zero, carbon accounting, and broader sustainability to provide an expert opinion on company disclosures for investor reporting, legislative compliance e.g CSRD or benchmarking schemes (e.g GRESB).

Assurance can become an expensive box ticking exercise but it doesn’t have to be that way. We help clients to use assurance to their maximum benefit, so you’ll get the full value out of your efforts and investment.

Find out more about the assurance service

Watch the webinar: Sustainability assurance for maximum benefit

For more detailed information, take a look at our on-demand webinar which will give you an introduction to assurance of sustainability data and its background.

Watch the sustainability assurance webinar