VSME — Sustainability Reporting
for SMEs
VSME (Voluntary SME Standard) is the voluntary ESG reporting standard developed by EFRAG and recommended by the European Commission for unlisted SMEs — a standardised, proportionate response to sustainability data requests from banks, investors or large corporate clients under CSRD obligations. CarbonDRI helps you complete the Basic Module (B1-B11) and, optionally, the Comprehensive Module (C1-C9), without the effort of a full CSRD report.
What is the VSME reporting service? CarbonDRI runs a gap analysis against VSME requirements, guides you through completing the 11 modules of the Basic Module (including Scope 1&2 emissions, already covered by our calculator), and, if relevant for your banks’ or clients’ requests, helps you extend the report with the Comprehensive Module. The result: a structured VSME report you can send directly to the bank, investor or corporate client who requested it.
What is the VSME standard and who is it for
The VSME standard was finalised by EFRAG (European Financial Reporting Advisory Group) in December 2024 and is officially recommended by the European Commission as a voluntary sustainability reporting tool for unlisted small and medium enterprises. It is not a direct legal obligation — no regulation forces an independent SME to publish a VSME report. Instead, it answers a real pressure: large companies under CSRD must collect sustainability data from their suppliers (including SMEs), and banks increasingly use ESG criteria in lending decisions. VSME offers a standard format, proportionate to an SME’s resources, to answer these requests without rebuilding a full CSRD report from scratch.
| Feature | Basic Module (B1-B11) | Comprehensive Module (C1-C9) |
|---|---|---|
| Who it is for | Any SME receiving a first ESG data request | SMEs with more sophisticated banks/investors/clients asking for extra data |
| Reporting condition | Can be reported independently | Only after the Basic Module is completed in full |
| GHG emissions content | Scope 1 & 2, energy consumption (B3) | Extended data + anticipated financial effects of climate risks |
| Workforce | General characteristics, health & safety, remuneration (B8-B10) | Additional workforce, value chain, affected community data |
| Other topics | Practices, pollution, biodiversity, water, waste, anti-corruption | Strategy, material impacts-risks-opportunities, human rights policies, revenue from controversial sectors |
| “If applicable” principle | Yes — omit irrelevant individual disclosures | Yes, but the module as a whole must be reported in full |
Readiness checklist for the Basic Module
Check off what you already have ready from the 11 modules of the Basic Module. At the end, you get an estimate of your readiness — indicative, not an official audit.
Check the items above to see your readiness for the VSME report.
Note: this checklist is an indicative self-assessment tool, not an official audit, and does not guarantee full compliance with the VSME standard. For the final report, request a discussion with our team.
Who is this service for?
SMEs requested by banks/investors
Companies whose bank asks for ESG data for a lending or refinancing decision, without the resources for an in-house CSRD department.
Suppliers in the CSRD value chain
SMEs supplying large companies obligated under CSRD to collect sustainability data from their suppliers.
SMEs seeking voluntary differentiation
Companies that want to communicate a genuine sustainability commitment to clients and partners, without the full effort of a complete CSRD report.
What’s included in the VSME service
Gap analysis
We check what data you already have and what is missing for each of the 11 Basic Module topics.
Basic Module completion (B1-B11)
We guide you through collecting and structuring data for all 11 mandatory disclosures of the module.
GHG data from our calculator
Scope 1&2 emissions calculated with our homepage calculator feed directly into the B3 requirement.
Optional Comprehensive Module
If your bank or investor asks for more, we extend the report with the 9 additional C1-C9 modules.
Report formatted for distribution
We deliver the VSME report in a format ready to send directly to the bank, investor or corporate client.
Annual update support
We help you refresh the report in future years, with minimal effort, on top of the structure already built.
How we work — 5-step process
- 01
Gap analysis
We assess what data you already have for the 11 Basic Module topics and what is missing.
- 02
Data collection
We guide you through collecting missing data — emissions, workforce, sustainability practices, operational data.
- 03
Basic report structuring
We organise the data per the standard VSME format, for the 11 B1-B11 disclosures.
- 04
Comprehensive Module (optional)
If needed, we extend the report with the C1-C9 modules requested by your bank or investor.
- 05
Delivery & update
We deliver the final, distribution-ready report and remain available for the annual update.
⚠️ Important: VSME is a voluntary standard. The interactive checklist on this page is an indicative self-assessment tool, useful for understanding your readiness — it does not replace a complete VSME report structured and verified by our team, and is not a guarantee of compliance.
Frequently asked questions about VSME reporting
Is the VSME standard mandatory for SMEs?
No. VSME (Voluntary SME Standard) is, as the name says, voluntary — developed by EFRAG and recommended by the European Commission as a standardised response for unlisted SMEs receiving ESG data requests from banks, investors or large corporate clients under CSRD obligations. No law forces an independent SME to publish a VSME report.
What is the difference between the Basic Module and the Comprehensive Module?
The Basic Module (B1-B11) covers 11 essential disclosures — general reporting basis, practices and policies, Scope 1&2 GHG emissions and energy consumption, pollution, biodiversity, water, waste and circular economy, workforce characteristics, health and safety, remuneration and training, corruption convictions. The Comprehensive Module (C1-C9) adds 9 further disclosures — strategy, material impacts-risks-opportunities, extended GHG data, anticipated financial effects of climate risks and more — usually requested by more sophisticated banks or investors. Comprehensive can only be reported after the Basic Module is completed in full.
What happens if a Basic Module topic does not apply to my company?
The VSME standard includes the “if applicable” principle — you can omit an individual disclosure that is not relevant to your activity, without needing an extensive formal justification. However, the module as a whole (Basic or, optionally, Comprehensive) must be reported in full.
Can I use emissions data already calculated with the CarbonDRI calculator for my VSME report?
Yes. Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions data calculated with our homepage calculator maps directly to the B3 requirement of the VSME Basic Module. We can integrate it directly into your VSME report, saving the time of collecting the data again.
Does the interactive checklist on this page replace a complete VSME report?
No. The checklist is an indicative self-assessment tool that shows how ready your company is for the Basic Module, but it does not constitute a complete, audited or verified VSME report. For the final report, we recommend a discussion with our team.
Who actually benefits from VSME reports?
Three main categories: SMEs whose banks ask for ESG data for lending, SMEs in the supply chain of large companies obligated under CSRD to collect data from suppliers, and SMEs that want to voluntarily differentiate themselves on sustainability criteria from competitors, without the full effort of a complete CSRD report.
Get your VSME report ready
step by step, without wasted effort
Gap analysis, Basic Module completion, optional Comprehensive Module. Free, personalised quote within 48 hours.
See also: DMA Module · CBAM Service · CFP Service