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ESRS topics, sub-topics and sub-sub-topics
Vita Marquenie avatar
Written by Vita Marquenie
Updated over 7 months ago

ESRS drafted a list of sustainability matters that shall be considered for determining your material topics. This list is not a substitute for the process of determining which matters are material, but a tool in your materiality assessment. Next to this list you should still consider your companies' own specific circumstances for identifying material topics. When needed you can also develop entity-specific topics when identified matters relevant for your company are not covered by this list.

Topical ESRS

Topic

Sub-topic

Sub-sub-topic

ESRS E1

Climate change

- Climate change adaptation

- Climate change mitigation

- Energy

ESRS E2

Pollution

- Pollution of air

- Pollution of water

- Pollution of soil

- Pollution of living

organisms and food resources

- Substances of concern

- Substances of very high

concern

- Microplastics

ESRS E3

Water and marine resources

- Water

- Water consumption

- Water withdrawals

- Water discharges

- Water discharges in the oceans

- Marine resources

- Extraction and use of marine

resources

ESRS E4

Biodiversity and ecosystems

- Direct impact drivers of biodiversity loss

- Climate Change

- Land-use change, fresh water-use

change and sea-use change

- Direct exploitation

- Invasive alien species

- Pollution

- Others

- Impacts on the state of species

- Species population size

- Species global extinction risk

- Impacts on the extent and condition of ecosystems

Examples:
- Land degradation

- Desertification
- Soil sealing

- Impacts and dependencies on ecosystem services

ESRS E5

Circular economy

- Resources inflows, including resource use

- Resource outflows related to products and services

- Waste

ESRS S1

Own workforce

- Working conditions

- Secure employment

- Working time

- Adequate wages

- Social dialogue

- Freedom of association, the existence of works councils and the information, consultation and participation rights of workers

- Collective bargaining, including rate of workers covered by collective agreements

- Work-life balance

- Health and safety

- Equal treatment and opportunities for all

- Gender equality and equal pay for work of equal value

- Training and skills development

- Employment and inclusion of persons with disabilities

- Measures against violence and harassment in the workplace

- Diversity

- Other work-related rights

- Child labour

- Forced labour

- Adequate housing

- Privacy

ESRS S2

Workers in the value chain

- Working conditions

- Secure employment

- Working time

- Adequate wages

- Social dialogue

- Freedom of association, including the existence of work councils

- Collective bargaining

- Work-life balance

- Health and safety

- Equal treatment and opportunities for all

- Gender equality and equal pay for work of equal value

- Training and skills development

- The employment and inclusion of persons with disabilities

- Measures against violence and harassment in the workplace

- Diversity

- Other work-related rights

- Child labour

- Forced labour

- Adequate housing

- Water and sanitation

- Privacy

ESRS S3

Affected communities

- Communities’ economic, social and cultural rights

- Adequate housing

- Adequate food

- Water and sanitation

- Land-related impacts

- Security-related impacts

- Communities’ civil and political rights

- Freedom of expression
- Freedom of assembly

- Impacts on human rights defenders

- Rights of indigenous peoples

- Free, prior and informed consent
- Self-determination
- Cultural rights

ESRS S4

Consumers and end- users

- Information-related impacts for consumers and/or end-users

- Privacy
- Freedom of expression
- Access to (quality) information

- Personal safety of consumers and/or end- users

- Health and safety
- Security of a person
- Protection of children

- Social inclusion of consumers and/or end- users

- Non-discrimination
- Access to products and services
- Responsible marketing practices

ESRS G1

Business conduct

- Corporate culture

- Protection of whistle-

blowers

- Animal welfare

- Political engagement

- Management of

relationships with suppliers including payment practices

- Corruption and bribery

- Prevention and detection including training

- Incidents

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