ESG Accounting and Reporting

New Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), The Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation, Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB) and Sustainability Reporting; Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), sustainability assurance. Sustainable finance, key principles and three stages, purpose of companies, long-term value creation, sustainable business model theory and circular business models.

NB! This course will take place in autumn semester 2025/2026 which starts on 1st of September and ends on 25th of January (you can find that information under Start date section). TalTech's timetables for Autumn semester 2025 will be published at the end of June via tunniplaan.taltech.ee. Switch the page to English and use "Search" and "Open detailed search" to find your course. NB! Some courses are taught by several lecturers during the same semester. Make sure that the course name and lecturer/teacher infromation of your course match with the information given in the Course Catalogue.

Aftern completing this course, the student:

• explains the key concepts of ESG reporting and regulations and can describe the latest developments and current situation in the field of ESG accounting and reporting;
• describes and analyses main ESG related standards and governing documents including New Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), The Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation, Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and related indicators, The Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB); Global Reporting Initiative (GRI). ESG and IFRS, emerging standards and reporting practices;
• prepares ESG reports and/or disclosures applying different techniques and standards, solves case studies outlining main ESG related problems and gives real life examples on implementation of ESG disclosures;
• understands the importance of ESG in finance and investment and the benefits for stakeholders.

Final assessment can consist of one test/assignment or several smaller assignments completed during the whole course. After declaring a course the student can re-sit the exam/assessment once. Assessment can be graded or non-graded. For specific information about the assessment process please get in touch with the contact person of this course. For specific information about grade transfer please contact your home university

Prerequisite - English level B2

• "Corporate Reporting: Quo Vadis? Paradigm Shifts Shaping the Future of Corporate Reporting: Purpose, Accountability, Value and Sustainability: Corporate ESG Reporting by Allan Willis. ‎ ThinkTWENTY20 (2022).
• Values at Work: Sustainable Investing and ESG Reporting by Daniel C. Esty and Todd Cort. Palgrave Macmillan; 2020 edition
• Environmental, Social and Governance [ESG] Reporting Basics: a Handy Guideline for Business ESG Communication by Goman.‎ 2022.
• Sustainability Accounting and Accountability. 3rd edition. Matias Laine, Jeffrey Unerman, Helen Tregidga. Taylor & Francis Ltd.2021.
• Venturelli, A., Caputo, F., Leopizzi, R., Pizzi, S. (2019). The state of art of corporate social disclosure before the introduction of non-financial reporting directive: a cross country analysis. Social Responsibility Journal, 15 (4), 409-423.
• Berniak-Wozny, J., & Wójcik-Jurkiewicz, M. (2021) The impact of the NFI Directive on the scope and quality of financial institutions’ CSR reporting – the case of Polish Banking sector. WSEAS TRANSACTIONS ON BUSINESS AND ECONOMICS, 18, 780-793.
• Krueger P., Sautner, Z., Tang, D., Y., Zhong, R. (2021). The Effects of Mandatory ESG Disclosure Around the World. Finance Working Paper, 754."

lectures, exercises