The CCA study is conducted by Association of Stock Exchange Issuers, Reporting Standards Foundation i Bureau Veritas with the support of MATERIALITY i Energy measurement. I was its originator and, together with Michał Stalmach, the author of the criteria. When we were developing them, we wanted to assess as objectively as possible the extent to which companies are ready to report reliably on their impact on climate change. That is why this is a study of awareness rather than climate responsibility.
Companies are assessed on the basis of their published reports according to ten criteria. These relate to issues such as the methodology and accuracy of reported greenhouse gas emissions calculations, disclosure of climate change risks and opportunities, and the integration of climate change issues into the company's strategy and management processes.
Up to 10 points can be obtained in the survey. Only two companies managed to do so: CCC and LPP (the former repeating last year's achievement). Thirteen companies scored at least 9 points. Forty-six companies scored at least 7 points, thus earning the title of climate-conscious company. In the latest edition, reports from 164 companies were evaluated. The less positive side of the survey results is as follows: the average score for the entire population was only 4.31 points, 54 companies recorded a decline in their scores compared to last year, and 12% did not score any points.
When developing the assessment criteria for the CCA study, we were not yet familiar with the future ESRS standards, as we had all just completed our first year of reporting in accordance with the NFRD directive. However, when comparing the criteria to the requirements contained in the ESRS E1 standard, many similarities can be found. In fact, achieving a high score in the CCA study is a good indication that the company should be able to cope with climate reporting in the era of the CSRD directive with little additional work.
Climate-conscious companies should therefore be able to sleep (relatively) soundly, but if someone scored low and did not address climate change issues during 2024, they have reason to be concerned. Now is also the time for companies that will only be required to report in 2025 to prepare thoroughly for reporting.
The full results of the CCA study are available on the SEG website. I encourage you to familiarize yourself with them and compare the criteria with the requirements of the ESRS E1 standard yourself.
Climate change is an issue that will prove important for many companies, but it is not the only area for which they need to prepare their reporting. As companies increasingly delve into the individual ESRS standards, more and more questions arise. We are currently preparing a solution that will address this need to clarify what the individual complex provisions of the standards are all about. But more on that next week 😊
Polish
English