Non-Financial Reporting: ESG 2600-MRCz2conSN
The course provides comprehensive knowledge of non-financial (ESG) reporting, understood as a modern business language, a management tool, and a regulatory and information system. It discusses the evolution of sustainability reporting concepts, emphasizing their significance for the functioning of the economy and organizations.
During the course, students will explore the concept of the triple bottom line (People, Planet, Profit), the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and the main reporting standards — SASB, GRI, ESRS, and VSME — which shape non-financial reporting practices in Poland to varying degrees. Particular emphasis will be placed on the ESRS and VSME standards, which are directly applicable to Polish entities under the CSRD Directive and the EU Taxonomy Regulation, defining the framework for sustainability reporting within the European Union.
The theoretical part of the course presents the principles of double materiality and risk analysis as the basis for defining the structure of non-financial reporting. It explains the criteria for selecting appropriate indicators and metrics under the ESRS, as well as the rules for choosing simplified reporting options under the VSME standard. The course also covers the organization of the reporting process, data collection (including IT tools), and the differences between individual and consolidated reporting, with particular attention to the measurement and disclosure of the carbon footprint.
An integral part of the course is the analysis of the assurance process for sustainability reporting based on the Polish assurance standard KSUA 3002PL.
The practical component includes workshops in which students identify stakeholder groups and value chains, conduct double materiality assessments, and analyze examples of sustainability reports. Through case studies, they also learn methods of calculating the carbon footprint and developing climate strategies. The Social (S) component of the course focuses on the quality and scope of disclosed information, while the Governance (G) component emphasizes proper management structures and the consistency of qualitative disclosures throughout the management report.
The course prepares students to independently analyze and apply the ESRS and VSME standards in various economic contexts, enabling them to gain an in-depth understanding of both national and international regulations governing sustainability reporting, including those arising from the CSRD Directive and the EU Taxonomy Regulation.
Type of course
Learning outcomes
After completing the course, the student:
Knowledge:
• describes legal regulations and reporting standards for sustainable development, including the CSRD Directive, the EU Taxonomy Regulation, and the ESRS and VSME standards (K_W01);
• explains the process of preparing a sustainability report, its structure, and its relevance for the functioning of organizations and stakeholders (K_W02);
• interprets the concept of double materiality, identifies key ESG topics, and explains the significance of the value chain in non-financial reporting (K_W03);
• recognizes complex economic, legal, and environmental conditions influencing ESG reporting practices in Poland and the European Union (K_W05).
Skills:
• identifies material environmental, social, and governance (ESG) aspects of an organization’s activities and matches them with appropriate reporting indicators in accordance with the ESRS standards (K_U01);
• analyses and interprets information disclosed in non-financial reports, assessing their consistency with legal requirements and reporting standards (K_U02);
• selects appropriate analytical methods and tools for preparing and verifying non-financial data, including carbon footprint and social indicators (K_U06);
• develops and presents components of an ESG report and formulates conclusions and recommendations to improve the quality and reliability of corporate sustainability disclosures (K_U08).
Social competences:
• critically assesses the significance and reliability of information contained in sustainability reports and its impact on stakeholder decision-making (K_K01);
• demonstrates responsibility and professional ethics in the ESG reporting process and in actions promoting sustainable development (K_K04);
• discusses ethical and social dilemmas related to non-financial reporting and its assurance, understanding the importance of transparency and credibility of disclosures (K_K05).
Assessment criteria
Lecture:
Written exam (multiple-choice test) – 100% of the lecture grade.
The exam will be conducted in class using an electronic platform.
Classes (Exercises):
Final paper – case study analysis: assessment of a selected ESG report in terms of its compliance with ESRS within a chosen topical standard – 80% of the class grade.
Ongoing assessment:
Regular attendance, participation in discussions, and presentation of conclusions from case analyses and project work – 20% of the class grade.
Practical placement
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Bibliography
Required reading:
• Accounting Act – consolidated text as of the date of the course.
• European Commission, European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS) – Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2023/2772.
• Polish Assurance Standard 3002PL – Assurance engagements other than audits or reviews of historical financial information concerning sustainability reporting, PIBR, Warsaw 2024.
• Regulation (EU) 2020/852 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 18 June 2020 – EU Taxonomy Regulation.
• Voluntary Standard for SMEs (VSME) – EFRAG draft version, 2024.
• Instructor’s own electronic teaching materials.
Supplementary reading:
• Rzeczpospolita – monthly supplement ESG in Practice.
• United Nations Global Compact – Sustainable Development Goals: https://unglobalcompact.org/sdgs/about/
• European Commission – EU Taxonomy Navigator: https://ec.europa.eu/sustainable-finance-taxonomy/
• Sustainable Development Report 2025: https://dashboards.sdgindex.org/
• EFRAG – Sustainability Reporting: https://www.efrag.org/en/sustainability-reporting
• Baklarz, A., Polish Assurance Standard for Sustainability Reporting 3002PL – Practical Commentary, Wolters Kluwer, Warsaw 2025.
• Baklarz, A., Assurance of Sustainability Reporting by Audit Firms, Wolters Kluwer, Warsaw 2024.
• Baklarz, A., Assurance of Sustainability Reporting in the Light of Auditors’ Reports, Rachunkowość, September 2025.