CSRD Reporting in Ireland: What Finance Teams Need to Prepare For in 2026

The Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) represents one of the most significant expansions of corporate reporting obligations in a generation. For Irish finance teams, it means sustainability data is no longer a communications exercise — it is a financial reporting obligation, subject to assurance, with real consequences for non-compliance. Understanding what is required and when is now a core responsibility for finance professionals at any company in scope.

What Is CSRD and Why Does It Matter for Irish Companies?

CSRD replaces and significantly expands the previous Non-Financial Reporting Directive (NFRD). Where the NFRD applied only to large listed companies with over 500 employees, CSRD extends mandatory sustainability reporting to a much wider population of companies — including many mid-sized Irish businesses that have never been subject to formal sustainability reporting before.

The Directive requires companies to report against the European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS), which cover environmental topics (climate, biodiversity, water, resources), social topics (workforce, communities, supply chain), and governance. Reports must be integrated into the annual report and subject to limited assurance by an auditor.

For Irish finance teams, this means sustainability reporting is no longer the preserve of a dedicated ESG team or communications function. Finance professionals are being asked to take ownership of data collection processes, assurance preparation, and the integration of sustainability information into financial reporting.

Which Irish Companies Are In Scope and When?

The CSRD is being phased in over three years. The phasing is based on company size and listing status:

• Wave 1 (reporting on FY2024, due 2025): Large listed companies already subject to NFRD — this group is already reporting or in the process of producing their first CSRD-compliant reports.
• Wave 2 (reporting on FY2025, due 2026): Large companies not previously subject to NFRD — defined as companies meeting two of three thresholds: more than 250 employees, more than €50 million turnover, or more than €25 million on the balance sheet. This captures a significant number of Irish subsidiaries of multinationals and larger Irish-owned businesses.
• Wave 3 (reporting on FY2026, due 2027): Listed SMEs on EU-regulated markets, with the option to use simplified standards.

If your company falls into Wave 2 — which applies to many Irish operations of multinational groups and larger indigenous businesses — your first CSRD report will be due in 2026 covering the 2025 financial year. The preparation work needs to be happening now.

What Finance Teams Need to Do to Prepare

Finance teams are central to CSRD compliance in a way that many organisations have not fully recognised. The Directive's emphasis on assurance, data quality, and integration with financial reporting means that the skills and processes finance teams bring to financial reporting are directly applicable — and urgently needed — for sustainability reporting.

Conduct a materiality assessment

CSRD introduces double materiality — companies must assess both how sustainability issues affect the company (financial materiality) and how the company affects people and the environment (impact materiality). Finance teams are well positioned to lead the financial materiality assessment and to contribute quantitative rigour to the broader double materiality process.

Establish data collection processes

The ESRS require detailed, granular data across a wide range of topics. For many Irish companies, this data does not currently exist in a consistent, auditable form. Finance teams need to work with HR, operations, procurement, and facilities to identify data sources, assess data quality, and build collection processes that can withstand assurance scrutiny.

Prepare for assurance

CSRD requires limited assurance of sustainability reports from the outset, with the expectation that this will move to reasonable assurance over time. Finance teams who have experience managing the statutory audit process are well placed to lead the assurance preparation for CSRD — ensuring documentation is in order, data is traceable, and the reporting process is auditable.

Integrate sustainability reporting with financial reporting

CSRD reports must be included in the annual report, alongside the financial statements. Finance teams need to ensure that sustainability disclosures are consistent with information in the financial statements, that any financial impacts of sustainability risks are properly reflected, and that the overall document is coherent and internally consistent.

The Skills Gap in Irish Finance Teams

Research consistently identifies a significant skills gap in sustainability reporting among finance professionals. Most qualified accountants received little or no training in ESG topics during their professional education, and the rapid evolution of CSRD requirements means that even those who have engaged with sustainability reporting in recent years may not be up to date with the ESRS requirements.

The areas where Irish finance teams most commonly identify knowledge gaps include: understanding the ESRS framework and which standards apply; data collection and quality management for non-financial information; assurance preparation for sustainability disclosures; and the double materiality assessment process.

Structured training is the most efficient way to close these gaps. CPD courses in ESG and CSRD can be completed online at your own pace, while in-person workshops provide the deeper engagement needed to develop practical skills in data collection, assessment, and reporting.

In-Person CSRD Training in Dublin

Learnsignal runs an ESG & CSRD Reporting for Finance Teams half-day workshop in Dublin, designed specifically for finance professionals who need to understand and implement CSRD requirements. The session covers the regulatory framework, the double materiality assessment, data collection processes, and assurance preparation — with practical exercises designed around the challenges Irish finance teams are currently facing.

The session is CPD-accredited (3 hours) and capped at 15 participants to ensure focused, practical discussion. It is aimed at finance professionals at any level who are involved in or will be responsible for their organisation's CSRD compliance.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does CSRD apply to Irish subsidiaries of non-EU parent companies?

Yes, under certain conditions. Large subsidiaries of non-EU groups listed on EU-regulated markets, or non-EU parent companies generating significant turnover in the EU, may be subject to CSRD reporting obligations. The rules for third-country companies are complex and advice specific to your situation is recommended.

Can we use a sustainability reporting tool to manage CSRD compliance?

A range of software tools are available to support CSRD data collection and reporting. These tools can significantly reduce the manual effort involved in data management and help ensure consistency and auditability. However, the tool is only as good as the underlying data collection processes and the human judgement applied to materiality and disclosure decisions.

What is the penalty for non-compliance with CSRD in Ireland?

Ireland has transposed CSRD into national law with enforcement mechanisms including financial penalties and public disclosure of non-compliance. The reputational risk — particularly for companies with significant customer, investor, or lender relationships — is also a material consideration.

Is ESG and CSRD training eligible for CPD hours?

Yes. Structured training in CSRD and ESG reporting counts as verifiable CPD for CAI, ACCA Ireland, and CPA Ireland members. Given the direct relevance to current professional obligations, it is also among the most defensible CPD choices for finance professionals at companies in scope.

CSRD is not a compliance burden to be managed at the minimum level — it is a fundamental shift in how companies communicate their relationship with society and the environment. Finance teams that develop genuine expertise in sustainability reporting will be better positioned to add value to their organisations and to lead the assurance process effectively. The time to build that expertise is now.