Fortune 500 leader’s double materiality reporting journey
With operations spanning nearly every continent, this Fortune 500 leader in commercial data, analytics, and business insights faced growing pressure to meet rapidly evolving sustainability regulations. To stay ahead of global expectations, the company partnered with Ethos to strengthen its reporting practices.
Together, we delivered a comprehensive double materiality assessment aligned with key international frameworks – including CSRD, ISSB, and GRI – and developed a tailored reporting structure with actionable KPIs.
The outcome
A future-fit roadmap that not only ensures compliance but also delivers strategic insights into stakeholder priorities, enhancing resilience and positioning the company for sustainable, long-term growth.
The challenge
Navigating reporting complexities
The company approached Ethos with a clear objective: to align its sustainability reporting with the new European Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD).
Operating across multiple markets with diverse stakeholder groups and shareholder expectations, the company faced the complex challenge of navigating varying regulatory requirements and evolving demands for sustainability information worldwide.
This required a harmonized approach that could simultaneously satisfy CSRD obligations while aligning with the International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB) and Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) frameworks – all while delivering actionable insights for the company’s business strategy.
Our approach
Global standards and stakeholder engagement
Ethos began by identifying the sustainability topics most relevant to the company through a rigorous industry analysis and peer benchmarking process, grounded in the methodology prescribed by ESRS. This ensured the materiality assessment would be comprehensive, sector-specific, and future-proof.
We then consolidated diverse stakeholder inputs – from customers and investors to regulators and employees – to assess both impact materiality and financial materiality. Leveraging EFRAG guidance documents, Ethos conducted a detailed impact assessment that captured environmental, social, and governance factors.
For financial materiality, we aligned our evaluation with the company’s internal Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) framework, combined with methodologies from EFRAG and ISSB. This dual approach ensured that risks and opportunities were assessed holistically, capturing the full spectrum of sustainability impacts and their financial implications.
Finally, Ethos integrated these insights into a cohesive reporting structure and key performance indicators (KPIs), mapped carefully against CSRD, ISSB, and GRI standards. This alignment provided the company with a clear, actionable roadmap for regulatory compliance and transparent stakeholder communication.
The results
Turning compliance complexity into strategic insights
By partnering closely with Ethos, this Fortune 500 commercial data leader not only achieved alignment with the latest sustainability reporting standards but also gained strategic clarity on stakeholder priorities.
The comprehensive, double materiality framework and reporting structure provide a solid foundation for meeting evolving regulatory demands while enabling sustainable growth. This collaboration demonstrates how proactive sustainability integration can transform complex compliance into a source of competitive strength and future resilience.
The tailored reporting structure, complete with relevant KPIs, equips the company to meet diverse regulatory and stakeholder requirements confidently and transparently. Beyond compliance, the project yielded strategic insights into stakeholder priorities, enabling the company to anticipate expectations and position itself for sustainable growth.
With a clear roadmap in hand, the company is now well-equipped to navigate evolving regulations, improve sustainability governance, and continue expanding its business with confidence and resilience.
