GRI ESRS-Professional Practice Test Questions Answers

EcoFurniture Inc. is performingStep B of its double materiality assessmentunder ESRS, which involves identifying and assessingimpacts, risks, and opportunities (IROs)from both animpact materialityandfinancial materialityperspective​.

During Step B, the organization must:

Compare entity-specific sustainability matters to ESRS 1 AR 16

Screening sustainability matters listed in ESRS 1 AR 16ensures that EcoFurniture Inc. identifies allpotential material topicsand aligns them with itsspecific sustainability context​.

Action:✅(A) is correct

Engage with affected stakeholders

Stakeholder engagementis a key requirement in the ESRSdouble materiality process, especially for industries with environmental and social impacts, such as deforestation risks in EcoFurniture's timber sourcing.

ESRS 2 IRO-1 explicitly states that stakeholder engagement is necessary tovalidate materiality assessments​.

Action:✅(B) is correct

Consider downstream impacts

ESRS mandates assessingboth upstream and downstreamsustainability impacts.Ignoring potential risks in the downstream value chain is not aligned with ESRS requirements.

Action:❌(C) is incorrect

Use scientific research to validate sustainability trends and risks

Theuse of scientific evidenceis an essential part of assessing sustainability matters.ESRS encourages leveraging research and external data to confirm industry-specific sustainability risks​.

Action:✅(D) is correct

Conclusion:EcoFurniture Inc. must integratestakeholder engagement, scientific research, and systematic comparison of sustainability matters to ESRS requirementsto ensure a robust Step B materiality assessment.Ignoring the downstream value chain is not permissibleunder ESRS.

Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2023/2772​

Compilation Explanations January - November 2024​

Official References:

TheFacilities Management (FM) departmentis primarily responsible for providing information on building energy use and the environmental performance of physical infrastructure.

Key responsibilities include:

Energy management: Tracking energy consumption and implementing efficiency measures.

Sustainability initiatives: Managing green building certifications, renewable energy installations, and environmental compliance.

Infrastructure monitoring: Overseeing heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems, lighting efficiency, and water usage.

While theOperationsdepartment may use energy-related data for broader business functions, Facilities Management specializes inmonitoring and improving building performancefrom an environmental perspective​.

ESRS E1 – Climate Change, Disclosure Requirement E1-5- Specifies requirements for energy consumption and environmental impacts of buildings​.

EFRAG Guidance on Environmental Performance and Building Energy Use- Confirms that FM is responsible for infrastructure sustainability monitoring​.

Official References:

Organizations should report on sustainability for several reasons, includingtransparency, stakeholder expectations, and competitive advantage. Below is the evaluation of each option:

A. True– Reporting on sustainabilitydemonstrates transparency and accountability, allowing companies to disclose theirenvironmental, social, and governance (ESG) impacts​.

B. True–Stakeholders, including investors, customers, and regulators,increasingly demand sustainability reportingto assess the long-term viability of a company​.

C. False– While sustainability reporting may contribute tolong-term financial gains, it doesnot guarantee immediate financial benefits​.

D. True– Companies withstrong sustainability performanceoften enjoyenhanced brand value and competitive advantage, attracting investors and customers who prefer sustainable businesses​.

Why Sustainability Reporting MattersBenefit

Impact on Organization

Transparency & Accountability

Builds trust with investors, regulators, and the public

Stakeholder Expectations

Meets regulatory and customer expectations for ESG disclosures

Brand & Competitive Advantage

Companies with strong ESG performance are more attractive to investors

Regulatory Compliance

Helps meet CSRD and ESRS disclosure obligations

CSRD & ESRS Guidance (2024)– Key Sustainability Reporting Benefits​.

EU Platform on Sustainable Finance Report (2025)– Stakeholder Expectations & Competitive Advantage​.

Official References:

TheEnvironmental Sectionof the topical ESRS includes disclosure requirements covering environmental sustainability matters. This section specifically relates toenvironmental objectives as defined in the EU Taxonomy, ensuring alignment with broader European sustainability goals.

Thetopical ESRS environmental standards (ESRS E1 - E5)cover:

ESRS E1– Climate Change (Mitigation & Adaptation)

ESRS E2– Pollution

ESRS E3– Water and Marine Resources

ESRS E4– Biodiversity and Ecosystems

ESRS E5– Resource Use and Circular Economy

These standardsalign with the environmental objectives of the EU Taxonomy Regulation(Regulation (EU) 2020/852) andrequire organizations to report on their material environmental impacts, risks, and opportunities (IROs)​.

A. Social impact and labor rights:→Incorrect, as this belongs to theSocial (S) section(ESRS S1 - S4).

B. Financial performance information:→Incorrect, as this is part offinancial reporting, not ESRS environmental disclosures.

D. Corporate governance and board diversity:→Incorrect, as governance matters are covered underESRS G1 Business Conduct​.

Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2023/2772​

Compilation Explanations January - November 2024​

Why Other Options Are Incorrect:Official References:

DuringStep Bof thedouble materiality assessment process, organizations mustidentify actual and potential impacts, risks, and opportunities (IROs). The ESRS framework recommends the following methods:

A. The list of sustainability matters in ESRS 1 AR 16✅

ESRS 1 Application Requirement (AR) 16provides acomprehensive reference listof sustainability matters to consider when identifying IROs.

This list includesenvironmental, social, and governance topicsaligned withEU sustainability objectives​.

C. Due diligence processes✅

ESRS requires organizations touse due diligence processesto identifynegative sustainability impacts.

Due diligence aligns with frameworks such as theOECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprisesand theUN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights​.

This ensures that potentialrisks and opportunitiesare assessed based oninternational sustainability standards.

D. Feedback from stakeholders✅

Stakeholders, includingemployees, suppliers, customers, and affected communities, providecrucial insightsinto sustainability impacts.

ESRSmandates engagement with affected stakeholdersas part of theIRO identification process​.

Financial materiality thresholds apply later in the process (Step C)when evaluating thefinancial impact of sustainability matters.

Step Bfocuses only on identifying IROs, makingfinancial thresholds irrelevant at this stage​.

Why is B. Financial materiality thresholds❌incorrect?Conclusion:Organizations should usethe ESRS 1 AR 16 sustainability matters list, due diligence processes, and stakeholder feedbacktoidentify IROsin Step B of the double materiality assessment.Financial materiality thresholds do not apply in this step.

Official Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2023/2772, various EFRAG guidance documents, and CSRD-related references:

Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2023/2772, ESRS 1, AR 16:List of Sustainability Matters for Identifying IROs​.

EFRAG Compilation of Explanations (January - July 2024): Confirmation thatdue diligence and stakeholder inputare part ofIRO identification​.