What is CSRD and how
does it affect your company
The CSRD (Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive) requires over 5,000 companies in Romania to report sustainability starting from 2025–2026. This guide explains exactly who is affected, what must be reported and how to comply.
TL;DR: CSRD replaces NFRD and extends sustainability reporting to ~50,000 companies in the EU (5,000+ in Romania). If your company has more than 250 employees or turnover above 40M EUR, you are probably affected. First reporting for large companies: financial year 2024 (report published in 2025). Listed SMEs: financial year 2025 (report 2026).
Who is affected by CSRD?
The CSRD Directive applies in three waves:
- Wave 1 (reporting from 2025, for FY 2024): Large companies already covered by NFRD — over 500 employees and listed on EU regulated markets or: turnover > 40M EUR or assets > 20M EUR.
- Wave 2 (reporting from 2026, for FY 2025): All large EU companies — over 250 employees OR turnover above 40M EUR OR total assets above 20M EUR (at least 2 of 3 criteria).
- Wave 3 (reporting from 2027, for FY 2026): SMEs listed on regulated markets (except micro-enterprises). Simplified ESRS standards for SMEs.
⚠️ Even if you are not directly affected by CSRD, if you are a supplier to a company reporting under CSRD, it will collect sustainability data from its value chain (Scope 3) — meaning they will contact you for your carbon footprint.
What must you report under ESRS E1?
The ESRS E1 — Climate Change — standard is the most relevant for carbon footprint and covers:
E1-6: GHG emissions
Total Scope 1, Scope 2 and Scope 3 emissions in tonnes CO₂e, broken down by GHG Protocol categories
E1-4: Reduction targets
GHG emission reduction objectives, with time horizons and methodology used (e.g., SBTi)
E1-5: Energy
Total energy consumption, broken down by source (fossil vs. renewable), energy intensity
E1-7: Carbon removal
Carbon absorptions and storage — forests, CCUS, validated carbon credits (VCS, Gold Standard)
E1-8: Internal carbon price
If the company uses an internal carbon price for investment decisions
E1-9: Physical risk exposure
Value of assets exposed to physical climate risks (floods, drought, heatwaves)
Practical steps for CSRD compliance
- 01
Calculate your carbon footprint — Scope 1, 2 and 3
The first mandatory step is quantifying GHG emissions in accordance with GHG Protocol Corporate Standard or ISO 14064-1. CarbonDRI offers a free calculator for Scope 1 and 2, and support for Scope 3.
- 02
Conduct the double materiality analysis
CSRD requires double materiality analysis — both the company’s impact on the environment (inside-out) and climate risks to the company (outside-in). This determines which ESRS indicators must be reported.
- 03
Collect data for relevant ESRS indicators
Based on the materiality analysis, you collect data for the mandatory and optional indicators from ESRS E1 (climate), E2-E5 (pollution, water, biodiversity, resources) and S1-S4 (social), G1 (governance).
- 04
Prepare the sustainability report
The CSRD report is part of the company’s Annual Report and must be verified (assured) by an independent auditor — similar to a financial audit. It is not a voluntary ESG report.
How does CarbonDRI help you?
- Free GHG calculator for Scope 1, 2 and 3 — get your total emissions in 30 minutes
- CSRD-ready PDF report — structured according to ESRS E1 requirements, exportable for auditors
- LCA studies for Scope 3 — we assess the footprint of your products for ESRS E1.6 reporting
- Personalised consultancy — we guide you through the CSRD compliance process step by step
Frequently asked questions about CSRD
My company has 40 employees. Do I have to report under CSRD?
Not directly — the three waves cover large companies and SMEs listed on regulated markets, and micro-enterprises are exempt. Indirectly, however, if you supply a company that reports under CSRD, it must collect value-chain sustainability data (Scope 3) and will contact you for your carbon footprint. In practice the obligation reaches you through your client, not through the law.
What is the difference between CSRD and ESRS?
CSRD is the directive — the legal framework setting out who reports and from when. ESRS are the technical standards specifying exactly what data must be reported and in what format. ESRS E1 (Climate Change) is the standard relevant to carbon footprint and covers GHG emissions (E1-6), reduction targets (E1-4) and energy consumption (E1-5).
Where do I start if I have just found out CSRD applies to me?
With the emissions inventory. Without a calculation of Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions you cannot complete ESRS E1-6, the central climate requirement. The practical order is: Scope 1 and 2 first (data you already hold in your invoices), then mapping the Scope 3 categories relevant to your activity, and only then reduction targets.
Do I need LCA studies for CSRD reporting?
For ESRS E1.6 at product level, yes — product emission-intensity data cannot be produced credibly without an LCA basis. For organisation-level reporting, a GHG inventory under the GHG Protocol or ISO 14064-1 is sufficient. If you sell products to companies that report under CSRD, a request for product-level data is almost certain.
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