ESRS standard · Cross-cutting

ESRS 2

General disclosures

ESRS 2 sets the mandatory baseline disclosures every CSRD reporter must make, regardless of which topics turn out to be material. It is organised around four pillars - Governance, Strategy, Impact/Risk/Opportunity (IRO) management, and Metrics & Targets - the same architecture as the former TCFD recommendations.

ESRS 2 in brief

The baseline every company reports, whatever its materiality result.

Back to all ESRSHow materiality decides if this applies

In scope

What ESRS 2 requires

  • Governance: board and management oversight of sustainability matters.
  • Strategy: business model, value chain, and how sustainability matters interact with strategy.
  • IRO management: how you identify and manage impacts, risks and opportunities - including your double materiality assessment process.
  • Metrics & Targets: the general approach to metrics and target-setting.
  • It applies to every reporter even when no topical standard is material.

These requirements sit in the ESRS, adopted as Delegated Regulation (EU) 2023/2772, under the CSRD, Directive (EU) 2022/2464.

Materiality

When ESRS 2 tends to be material

ESRS 2 is always mandatory - it does not depend on the materiality assessment. Every CSRD reporter discloses it.

Whether you must report ESRS 2 is decided by your double materiality assessment. A topic is material, and must be disclosed, if it is significant from either an impact or a financial perspective.

Datapoints are changing under the revised ESRS

The ESRS are being simplified under the Omnibus. The Commission published a draft revised delegated act for consultation from 6 May to 3 June 2026, cutting mandatory datapoints by around 60 to 70% and clarifying the materiality filter, with adoption targeted around 17 September 2026 and application from FY2027. The specific disclosure requirements in ESRS 2 may be restructured. Treat the current ESRS 2023/2772 as the law until the revision is adopted. Commission consultation

FAQ

ESRS 2: common questions

Is ESRS 2 always required?
Yes. ESRS 2 is the mandatory baseline for every company in scope, regardless of the double materiality assessment outcome. The topical standards (E1-E5, S1-S4, G1) apply only where material.
What are the four pillars of ESRS 2?
Governance, Strategy, Impact/Risk/Opportunity management, and Metrics & Targets. The same four-pillar structure runs through the topical standards too.

Work out which ESRS apply to you

Your double materiality assessment decides which topical standards you must report. Start there, then explore the rest of the ESRS.

Double materiality guide

This is guidance, not legal advice

This is guidance to help you understand ESRS 2 (General disclosures), not legal advice. For decisions specific to your business, confirm with the official sources we link or a qualified adviser.

Sources

  1. [1]Delegated Regulation (EU) 2023/2772 (ESRS Set 1) (EUR-Lex)retrieved 8 Jun 2026
  2. [2]Directive (EU) 2022/2464, the CSRD (EUR-Lex)retrieved 8 Jun 2026
  3. [3]EFRAG: European Financial Reporting Advisory Groupretrieved 8 Jun 2026
  4. [4]European Commission: consultation on revised ESRS (6 May 2026)retrieved 8 Jun 2026

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