With the so-called Omnibus Proposals, the EU Commission has initiated a remarkable U-turn: The originally planned mandatory sustainability reporting for all small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) under the CSRD was temporarily suspended by the Omnibus Proposal. A step that relieved many companies of short-term regulatory pressure.
What remains is the voluntary VSME standard, published by the EU. This was originally aimed at small companies with fewer than 250 employees who want to provide their stakeholders (banks, customers, employees) with structured sustainability information, either on their own initiative or upon external request. However, the VSME is now also being applied by medium-sized companies that fall below the CSRD threshold or wish to prepare for CSRD reporting.
But what does such a report look like in practice? What do companies actually report – and how much effort is involved? We looked at five initial publicly available VSME report examples from various industries and countries and derived seven concrete learnings that will help you better assess the effort, impact, and requirements.
Overview: What VSME Report Examples are there?
For our analysis, we researched VSME report examples and identified and analyzed five published sustainability reports. The companies differ in terms of industry, origin, size, and communication style. This is precisely what makes the comparison so interesting.
👩🏻💼 Alba Project Group (Denmark)
A consulting company specializing in project management, engineering, and procurement. The report is methodically well-structured, based on a double Materiality Assessment, and covers central environmental and social topics. Its scope is manageable.
💊 Ten23 Health (Switzerland)
A pharmaceutical service provider with regulatory experience. The report is extensive, very data-rich, and uses both the basic and the voluntary comprehensive module of the VSME. Additionally, there is a strategic narrative (“Fairstainability”), clear goals, and quantitative metrics.
🏕️ Nord Mobil (Croatia)
A manufacturer of mobile homes. The report is in Croatian and short, but concrete. It covers energy efficiency, recycled materials, and site data. No storytelling, no comprehensive strategy – but a clear practical relevance.
🧠 OREXES GmbH (Germany)
An IT consulting company specializing in SAP security. The report is extensive, systematic, and follows the full VSME standard, including stakeholder analysis and concrete climate targets. Visual elements such as a Materiality Matrix and Business Model Canvas were also incorporated.
🌱 YouSustain Group (Norway)
A small CSRD consultancy with a focus on knowledge transfer and workforce empowerment. The report is well-structured and adheres very closely to the VSME guidelines, providing a clear index.
Differences and Similarities
What are the Differences among the VSME Report Examples?
The analyzed VSME reports differ significantly in terms of objectives, scope, and depth of implementation.
- Data Basis: While ten23 health and OREXES work with quantified emissions (CO2 balances), accident rates, and SBTi-like targets, YouSustain and Alba largely forgo key figures. Nord Mobil sticks to a few pragmatic statements.
- Module Usage: Only OREXES and ten23 health use the voluntary Comprehensive Module (C1–C9); all others stick to the Basic Module.
- Storytelling vs. Factual Report: ten23 health develops a communicative leitmotif with the term “Fairstainability”. YouSustain emphasizes education and impact through coaching. Nord Mobil, on the other hand, provides almost exclusively operational facts.
- Framework References: Only Nord Mobil mentions the SDGs; ten23 health refers to EcoVadis, the SBTIs, and states that they are a B Corp. ISO standards play a minor role.
- Materiality: Four of the five companies conducted a double Materiality Assessment – Nord Mobil did not.
These differences show: The VSME standard is interpreted very differently in practice – from “duty fulfilled” to “strategically integrated”.
These VSME examples show at first glance: There is no single style for how a VSME report should look. Some companies provide mere facts, others build a narrative. Some use a lot of data, others work more qualitatively.
What are the Similarities among the VSME Report Examples?
Despite all differences, clear common patterns can be identified:
- Adherence to Structure: All reports roughly follow the structure of the VSME standard – which facilitates comparability and provides guidance.
- Focus on Social Topics: Information on the workforce (B8, B9) can be found in all reports, e.g., on gender distribution, safety, or further training.
- Absence of “Greenwashing”: None of the reports gives the impression of exaggerated PR – the tone is restrained and fact-oriented. Nevertheless, some companies manage better than others to leverage the topic of sustainability communication for themselves.
- Management Statement: All reports begin with a personal foreword, which conveys authenticity.
These similarities suggest: These companies primarily use the VSME standard as a practical reporting tool, not as a communication platform, at least so far.
What are the Insights from these VSME Report Examples?
After analyzing five VSME report examples, from IT consulting to manufacturing companies, seven key learnings can be derived. They will help you design your own report not only in compliance with regulations, but also meaningfully and effectively.
1. A Clear Structure According to the VSME Standard Helps – but is not Enough
All companies adhere to the prescribed structure (B1–B11, C1–C9), which provides structure. However: Those who merely work through section by section quickly create a documented “mandatory program”. The best reports (e.g., ten23 health, OREXES) combine the structure with a content-based prioritization: What is truly material for our company and where do we want to make a difference?
🛠️ Practical Tip: Use the VSME structure as a framework, but tell your own story within it.
2. Data Speaks Louder than Words – if it is Complete and Traceable
There are significant differences in the key figures used. Some reports almost entirely forgo quantifiable data, while others provide reliable CO₂ figures, training hours, accident statistics, or a gender pay gap analysis. Data builds trust, provided it is relevant, comparable, and transparently derived.
🛠️ Practical Tip: If you can only measure little, focus on 3–5 meaningful KPIs and explain how you plan to improve them in the future.
3. Few Utilize the Opportunities of Storytelling
While the reports make what sustainability means in everyday life tangible through personal forewords and concrete examples, some companies remain very factual in the design of their sustainability report. Storytelling creates orientation and identification, especially among employees, customers, or applicants.
🛠️ Practical Tip: Show with 1–2 examples how your sustainability strategy is concretely implemented, whether through a project, a team initiative, or a decision.
4. The Double Materiality Assessment Brings Focus – and Creates Clarity
The best reports explain how they determined their material topics, e.g., with a double Materiality Assessment (Impacts & Financial Perspective). This helps to focus the report and signals that ESG does not simply mean “everything somehow,” but must be prioritized.
🛠️ Practical Tip: It doesn’t have to be a comprehensive Materiality Assessment with stakeholder surveys. A DMA Light is also sufficient (e.g., with our Materiality Assessment Template or the Materiality Master). Alternatively, you can orient yourself by industry benchmarks. The important thing is to show that you proceed systematically.
5. Known Frameworks like SDGs, ISO, or EcoVadis Create Compatibility – but are Rarely Used
Although all companies report voluntarily, only a few refer to other internationally established reference frameworks. These show stakeholders that sustainability is deeply embedded in the company and that your company is sustainably committed and strives for improvements in various areas. A new standard, ISO 53001, is currently under development.
🛠️ Practical Tip: If you are ISO-certified, have prioritized SDGs, or use EcoVadis – mention it in the report and visibly link your content to it.
6. Optional C-Module Often Remains Unused – Wasted Potential
Only two of the five companies fully report on the “Comprehensive” disclosures (C1–C9). These modules offer added value precisely where sustainability is strategically embedded: for example, in climate targets, risk assessment, or governance.
🛠️ Practical Tip: Specifically use the material or “applicable” C-disclosures to demonstrate maturity and ambition, especially if you work with larger customers, suppliers, or investors.
7. Even a Short Report Can be Effective – if it is Honest and Concrete
Not every report needs 30 pages. Nord Mobil shows how even a compact PDF with clear statements, authentic examples, and visible commitment can have an impact if you are serious about it and don’t beat around the bush.
🛠️ Practical Tip: Don’t artificially make it short or long, but report in a way that suits the size, maturity, and relevance of your company.
Conclusion of the VSME Report Examples
The analyzed VSME report examples impressively show: A good sustainability report is created through clear priorities, comprehensible content, and authentic communication.
The VSME standard offers a meaningful, practical structure for this. But the decisive added values only emerge when you apply it to your reality: What is material for you? What goals are you pursuing? What can and do you really want to change?
Our Recommendation for your VSME Report
Don’t start with perfection, but with substance. Even a short, honest report can be convincing – if it shows that you address your impacts, take responsibility, and communicate transparently. This is where the following can help you:
- A structured process (e.g., with double Materiality or the Materiality Model Canvas),
- Ideally, a sustainability strategy
- A clear set of measurable goals and key figures, and
- A report that is understandable – and says more than “we are making an effort”.
Whether for customers, banks, or internal teams: A well-prepared VSME report is not an end in itself, but an instrument for building trust and positioning.
If you need support getting started, for example, with setting up the analysis or the report structure, feel free to contact us. We not only help with compliance, but above all, ensure that your report is also read and understood.
The VSME standard is not a straitjacket, but an offer for guidance. Those who use it meaningfully can, with comparatively little effort, create an effective and credible sustainability report and thereby create internal and external added value.
