Salish Sea Consulting
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· Updated September 18, 2026

ESG Frameworks Explained: What GRI, SASB, TCFD, CSRD & ESRS Are For (and What's Still Active in 2026)

Most explainers describe GRI, SASB, and TCFD as three parallel, currently available reporting options. That's no longer accurate. TCFD was disbanded in 2023. SASB stopped operating as an independent standard-setter in 2022. And CSRD was cut by roughly 80% in scope, with its underlying standards rewritten in 2026. Here's where things actually stand.

Chester Beard

Sustainability Copywriter & ESG Communications Consultant

Status as of September 2026: Only one of these five frameworks is mandatory. That's CSRD, with ESRS as its rulebook. Two no longer exist as independent bodies. SASB was absorbed into the ISSB in 2022, and TCFD was disbanded in 2023. CSRD scope was cut about 80%, and mandatory ESRS datapoints fell 61%, from about 1,073 to 320.

What "active" means here: the framework is still maintained by its own standard-setting body.

How this was checked: Status verified against IFRS Foundation announcements, Directive (EU) 2026/470 in the EU Official Journal, and the European Commission's July 3, 2026 adoption of the revised ESRS. Last verified September 18, 2026.

Quick Reference

Framework Who it's for What it measures Reporting frequency Who requires it Status as of September 2026
GRI Any organization, public or private, of any size Broad economic, environmental, and social impacts Annual Voluntary globally. Referenced by some national regulations. Active and independent
SASB Public companies, industry by industry Financially material ESG issues specific to each of 77 industries Annual Voluntary. Incorporated into IFRS S1 industry guidance. Retired as a standalone body (2022). Absorbed into the ISSB.
TCFD Public companies and investors Climate-related governance, strategy, risk management, and metrics Annual Formerly voluntary or quasi-mandatory in some jurisdictions (e.g., UK) Disbanded (2023). Recommendations folded into IFRS S2.
CSRD Large companies operating in the EU (1,000+ employees, €450M+ turnover) and qualifying non-EU groups Full "double materiality" ESG impact and risk disclosure Annual Mandatory under EU law Scope cut ~80% via the Omnibus I package. Wave 2 reporters pushed to FY2027.
ESRS Any company in CSRD's scope The detailed disclosure standards that CSRD reporting must follow Annual Mandatory alongside CSRD Revised July 2026. 61% fewer mandatory datapoints, effective FY2027.

What Changed in 2026, in One Paragraph

The EU spent early to mid 2026 substantially shrinking its sustainability reporting regime. Fewer companies are in scope (1,000+ employees and €450M+ turnover, down from far lower thresholds). The companies still in scope have two extra years before their first report is due. And the standards they'll report against require 61% fewer mandatory datapoints than the original 2023 version. Meanwhile, two of the "big three" voluntary frameworks that dominate older comparison content, SASB and TCFD, no longer exist as independent bodies. Both were absorbed into the ISSB's IFRS S1 and S2 standards between 2022 and 2024. GRI is the only framework on this list that's both voluntary and unchanged in structure.

Which One Actually Applies to You

  • You're a large EU company or a non-EU company with significant EU revenue: CSRD is likely mandatory, reported against the revised ESRS. Confirm your employee count and turnover against the new 1,000 employee and €450M thresholds. You may have just fallen out of scope.
  • You're a US or globally listed public company with investor pressure: Voluntary disclosure aligned with IFRS S1 and S2 (which absorbed SASB and TCFD) is the current default, not standalone SASB or TCFD reporting.
  • You're a private company or reporting for the first time: GRI remains the broadest, most widely adopted starting point, and it isn't tied to any one jurisdiction's mandate.
  • You're already reporting under an older framework: If your disclosures still reference "SASB" or "TCFD" by name, note internally that you're actually following ISSB-consolidated guidance. The source documents changed, even if the metrics look similar.

GRI (Global Reporting Initiative)

What it is: The oldest and most widely adopted sustainability reporting standard, first published in 2000. GRI Standards are maintained by the independent Global Sustainability Standards Board.

Who it's for: Any organization that wants to report its impact on the economy, environment, and people. That includes public, private, and nonprofit organizations of any size or sector.

What it measures: A broad "impact materiality" view. It covers how the organization affects the world, not just how ESG issues affect its finances. Topics include emissions, labor practices, human rights, anti-corruption, waste, and dozens more, through modular, industry-specific standards.

Reporting frequency: Annual.

Who requires it: Nobody, globally. GRI is voluntary. But it's the most commonly used framework in practice. Several national disclosure rules, including parts of CSRD, reference GRI-compatible disclosures. It remains the default choice for companies reporting for the first time.

Status: Active and independent. GRI has not been consolidated into any other body and continues to publish updated sector standards.

SASB (Sustainability Accounting Standards Board)

What it is: Industry-specific standards, launched in 2011, focused narrowly on ESG issues that are financially material. That means issues likely to affect enterprise value, rather than GRI's broader impact lens.

Who it's for: Public companies communicating with investors, organized into 77 industry-specific standards.

What it measures: A tight set of metrics per industry (e.g., water use for beverage companies, data security for tech companies) rather than a universal checklist.

Reporting frequency: Annual, typically alongside financial filings.

Who requires it: Nobody directly. But SASB metrics are widely used as investor-facing supplements and are now embedded in ISSB guidance.

Status: SASB stopped operating as a standalone standard-setter in August 2022. That's when the IFRS Foundation completed its consolidation of the Value Reporting Foundation, which had merged SASB with the International Integrated Reporting Council. SASB Standards still exist and are actively used. But they now function as industry-specific guidance under the ISSB's IFRS S1, not as an independently maintained framework.

TCFD (Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures)

What it is: A 2017 framework from the Financial Stability Board. It recommends how companies disclose climate-related financial risk across governance, strategy, risk management, and metrics and targets.

Who it's for: Public companies and financial institutions, particularly those facing investor pressure around climate risk.

What it measures: Climate risk exposure and governance, not broader ESG topics.

Reporting frequency: Annual.

Who requires it: Historically quasi-mandatory in some jurisdictions. The UK required TCFD-aligned reporting for large companies starting in 2022. Its content now lives inside IFRS S2.

Status: TCFD was formally disbanded in October 2023. The Financial Stability Board declared its work complete after the ISSB's IFRS S2 fully incorporated its recommendations. Ongoing monitoring of companies' climate disclosures passed to the IFRS Foundation starting in 2024. Companies still describing their reporting as "TCFD-aligned" are, in practice, following what's now IFRS S2.

CSRD (Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive)

What it is: The EU's binding sustainability reporting law, Directive (EU) 2022/2464. It replaced the earlier Non-Financial Reporting Directive and dramatically expanded the number of companies required to report.

Who it's for: Large companies operating in the EU and non-EU groups with significant EU revenue.

What it measures: "Double materiality." That means both how sustainability issues affect the company financially, and how the company affects people and the environment. Companies report against the ESRS standards below.

Reporting frequency: Annual.

Who requires it: Mandatory under EU law for companies in scope.

Status: Significantly narrowed in 2026. The Omnibus I simplification package was adopted by the EU Council on February 24, 2026, published in the Official Journal as Directive (EU) 2026/470, and entered into force on March 18, 2026. It raised the qualifying threshold to 1,000+ employees and €450M+ net turnover, cutting the number of in-scope companies by an estimated 80%. It also delayed Wave 2 companies' first reports by two years, to cover FY2027 (due 2028). Member states may grant temporary exemptions through 2026 for companies that fall out of scope under the new thresholds. Omnibus I also removed the planned move to reasonable assurance. Limited assurance is now the ceiling.

ESRS (European Sustainability Reporting Standards)

What it is: The detailed disclosure standards that give CSRD its actual reporting requirements. ESRS is to CSRD what line items are to a tax code.

Who it's for: Every company within CSRD's scope.

What it measures: Cross-cutting and topical standards covering climate, pollution, water, biodiversity, workforce, communities, consumers, and business conduct. These were originally set out in Delegated Regulation (EU) 2023/2772.

Reporting frequency: Annual, aligned with CSRD.

Who requires it: Mandatory for any company reporting under CSRD.

Status: Substantially revised in 2026. EFRAG published exposure drafts in July 2025 and final technical advice in December 2025. The European Commission published a draft delegated act in May 2026 and adopted the revised ESRS on July 3, 2026. The rewrite cuts mandatory datapoints by 61% and adds new relief and phase-in mechanisms. Companies in CSRD's scope must apply the revised ESRS for financial years beginning on or after January 1, 2027. Early adoption in 2026 is permitted. Climate (E1) kept its full Scope 1, 2, and 3 structure. Gross GHG emissions now sit under E1-8.

Sources

I help organizations navigate ESG disclosure requirements, from choosing the right framework to building reporting systems that hold up under scrutiny. If you're trying to figure out what applies to you, let's talk.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which ESG framework is mandatory?

CSRD (the EU's Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive) is the only mandatory framework on this list. As of 2026, it applies to companies with 1,000+ employees and €450M+ net turnover. It's reported against the ESRS standards. All the other frameworks are voluntary. That includes GRI, SASB (now under ISSB), and TCFD (now under IFRS S2).

Is TCFD still active in 2026?

No. TCFD was formally disbanded in October 2023. Its recommendations were fully incorporated into the ISSB's IFRS S2 standard. Companies still describing their reporting as 'TCFD-aligned' are, in practice, following what's now IFRS S2.

What happened to SASB?

SASB stopped operating as a standalone standard-setter in August 2022, when the IFRS Foundation consolidated it into the ISSB. SASB Standards still exist and are actively used. But they now function as industry-specific guidance under IFRS S1, not as an independently maintained framework.

What is the difference between CSRD and ESRS?

CSRD is the EU law that requires companies to report on sustainability. ESRS (European Sustainability Reporting Standards) are the detailed disclosure standards that tell companies what to report. CSRD is the mandate. ESRS is the rulebook.

What is double materiality in ESG reporting?

Double materiality means reporting on two things. The first is how sustainability issues affect the company financially (financial materiality). The second is how the company affects people and the environment (impact materiality). CSRD requires double materiality reporting.