CSRD, VSME or BRSR: which applies to you?
A plain comparison of the EU's CSRD, the voluntary VSME standard and India's BRSR, with the questions that tell you which one you need, and what to do if you are caught by more than one.
Three names come up again and again: CSRD, VSME and BRSR. They are not alternatives to each other in a simple sense. Each answers a different legal or commercial question. This page helps you work out which ones apply.
At a glance
| CSRD / ESRS | VSME | BRSR | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Who | Large EU companies and certain non-EU groups | Smaller companies, mainly those not required to report | Top 1,000 listed companies in India |
| Basis | EU law | Voluntary, non-binding | SEBI listing rules |
| Scope in brief | More than 1,000 employees and net turnover above EUR 450 million (as amended) | Optional, often to answer customers and banks | Mandatory for the top 1,000 by market capitalisation |
| Assurance | Required, limited level currently | Not required | BRSR Core assessed or assured, phased in |
| Key standard | ESRS | VSME or the voluntary standard | BRSR format and BRSR Core |
Questions to ask
- Are you an EU company, or do you have an EU subsidiary or branch? If you have more than 1,000 employees and net turnover above EUR 450 million, CSRD probably applies, with reporting for financial years from 2027 for companies not already reporting. Non-EU groups face separate tests based on EU turnover and EU subsidiary or branch turnover. See who has to report and when.
- Are you a listed company in India? If you are in the top 1,000 by market capitalisation, BRSR is mandatory. See BRSR and BRSR Core explained.
- Are you a smaller company asked for data by a customer or bank? A VSME-style report is the efficient answer. See how to prepare your first VSME report.
- Are you an Indian company with EU customers or an EU subsidiary? You may need BRSR for SEBI and different data for EU customers. Plan one data model and two outputs.
If more than one applies
Build one underlying data set. Many data points overlap, such as energy, emissions, workforce numbers and safety. Define each once, keep the method note, and then map the data to each format. Keep in mind that definitions and boundaries differ, so numbers cannot always be copied across directly. Official mapping between ESRS and BRSR does not exist, to our knowledge, so treat any mapping as your own judgement and document it.
What about ISSB?
ISSB standards (IFRS S1 and S2) are used or being adopted in many jurisdictions. To our knowledge India has not made IFRS S1 and S2 mandatory as of October 2026 (SEBI's BRSR remains the mandatory framework for listed companies). The Institute of Cost Accountants of India has published ISS 1 and ISS 2, derived from IFRS S1 and S2, for use alongside BRSR. Read ESRS vs ISSB vs GRI.
Next step
Use the CSRD readiness checklist or compare reporting software.
i-ESG
Seoul-based ESG data and risk management platform with modules for materiality, reporting, supply chain risk and carbon tracking.
VERSO
Munich-based sustainability software and advisory firm covering ESG data management, double materiality, VSME reports and supply chain due diligence.
Planted
German startup offering an AI-assisted ESG management platform for carbon accounting and CSRD reporting.
Pulsora
ESG management platform for collecting sustainability data and preparing framework reports.
Makersite
Product lifecycle intelligence software for LCAs, product carbon footprints and supply chain risk.
ClimateChoice
Platform that consolidates suppliers' climate disclosures into a comparable dataset for benchmarking, scoring and sourcing decisions.
Ordered by verified reviews and relevance. Listings are never ranked by payment. See all 117 providers
Official sources
This guide is general information, not legal, tax or investment advice. Rules change; check the official sources and talk to an adviser before you rely on it.
Related guides
What assurance providers ask for in a sustainability report
The evidence, documentation and controls an assurance provider typically expects to see when reviewing a sustainability report, and how to prepare before they arrive.
How-to guideHow to prepare your first VSME sustainability report
A practical walkthrough for small and mid-sized companies answering customer and bank requests with a VSME-style report: which module, what data, who owns what, and how to avoid over-reporting.
How-to guideDouble materiality assessment: a step-by-step process
A working process for running a double materiality assessment, from scoping and stakeholder input to scoring, sign-off and documentation, with the evidence an auditor will want to see.