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- Enhanced Reporting Tools: Microsoft introduces Project ESG Reporting, providing standardized templates for various ESG frameworks, simplifying disclosure processes.
- Integration and Efficiency: New features include Microsoft Sustainability Manager integration, workflow UI for task management, and extensibility for custom templates.
- Comprehensive Management: Existing Microsoft Sustainability Manager functions automate and unify data intelligence for emissions, water, and waste management.
Microsoft has announced an expansion of its sustainability solution offerings aimed at easing the challenges of ESG disclosure reporting. The new Project ESG Reporting (preview) offers standardized templates based on various ESG frameworks, addressing the complexities of reporting metrics and structuring disclosures. This initiative is set to enhance efficiency, transparency, and compliance in ESG reporting.
“Exciting news! We’re thrilled to announce the expansion of our sustainability solution offerings, easing reporting and alignment with various frameworks,” said Matthew Sekol, ESG and Sustainability Advocate at Microsoft. “This preview addresses the reporting challenges faced by sustainability offices, allowing them to shift their focus towards utilizing data to drive business value, foster improvements, and encourage innovation.”
Simplified Reporting Process
Accurate reporting plays a major role in helping companies reach their sustainability goals, providing a bridge between where they are and where they aspire to be. With the new Project ESG Reporting (preview) tool, organizations can streamline the reporting process by collaborating on environmental, social, and governance (ESG) standards and frameworks simultaneously.
Project ESG Reporting (preview) provides templates for multiple standards and frameworks, including:
- Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD)
- Australian Sustainability Reporting Standards (ASRS)
- Business Responsibility and Sustainability Reporting (BRSR)
- Global Reporting Initiative (GRI)
- International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS)
- Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB)
These templates assist organizations in creating, completing, and approving comprehensive reports across both quantitative and qualitative metrics. The integration with Microsoft Sustainability Manager ensures seamless management of company profiles and data points.
Efficient and Transparent Workflows
The new features include a Workflow UI for task management and content approval, facilitating collaborative creation of voluntary and regulatory disclosure reports. This system ensures data accuracy and compliance through approval and audit workflows, reducing the complexity of ESG reporting.
Enhanced Microsoft Sustainability Manager
Microsoft Sustainability Manager, already in use, unifies data intelligence and automates sustainability management. It helps organizations efficiently record, report, and reduce emissions, water, and waste impacts. The solution integrates with various business systems, breaking down data silos and providing real-time visibility into sustainability activities.
Key Features Include:
- Standard Templates: Includes templates for Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), Australian Sustainability Reporting Standards (ASRS), Business Responsibility and Sustainability Reporting (BRSR), Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS), and numerous Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB) templates.
- Workflow Management: Facilitates task management and content approval, enhancing data quality and consistency.
- Custom Templates: Allows for the creation of custom templates to meet specific organizational needs.
Water and Waste Management
The Sustainability Manager’s water sustainability features allow organizations to record, estimate, analyze, and report on water quantity and quality data. This helps in meeting sustainability disclosures and regulatory water quality reporting requirements.
Similarly, the sustainable waste management features help organizations unify, prepare, analyze, and report on waste quantity and quality. These capabilities are crucial for compliance with hazardous and radioactive waste regulations.
Data Trail Capabilities
To maximize the value of sustainability data, Microsoft Sustainability Manager includes a new data trail capability. This feature covers the entire data lifecycle—from ingestion to reconciliation—providing a complete representation of the data flow. This transparency helps companies handle constantly changing regulatory requirements for data traceability and auditability, building trust with auditors, investors, and stakeholders.
Alternate Emissions Feature
The alternate emissions feature in the Microsoft Sustainability Manager calculations engine empowers customers to accurately quantify their emissions using diverse calculation methodologies. The tool generates alternative emission reports tailored to the requirements of different regulatory bodies or regional reporting standards. Users leverage the same activity data, tailoring emission calculations to specific emission scopes and classifications.
Supporting Game Developers
Microsoft continues to support sustainability in gaming through the Xbox Developer Sustainability Toolkit, helping game creators pinpoint and reduce energy usage. This collaborative effort has shown success with games like Halo Infinite, Fortnite, and Call of Duty, reducing console energy consumption, carbon emissions, and in-home electricity costs for gamers.
Related Article: IASB Proposes Illustrative Examples to Enhance Reporting of Climate and Other Uncertainties in Financial Statements
Driving Business Value and Innovation
With the introduction of Project ESG Reporting (preview) and the existing functionalities of Microsoft Sustainability Manager, organizations can now focus on utilizing data to drive business value, foster improvements, and encourage innovation in their sustainability efforts.
Microsoft’s expanded sustainability solutions simplify the ESG reporting process, making it easier for organizations to meet regulatory requirements and enhance their sustainability performance. For more information, visit Microsoft Sustainability Solutions.