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Key Highlights
- EFRAG has submitted its 2026 Sustainability Reporting Work Programme to the European Commission, with major deliverables expected throughout 2026 and into early 2027.
- The ISSB is expanding its sustainability reporting agenda beyond climate to include nature-related disclosures and human capital, with key proposals due in the second half of 2026.
- Both EFRAG and the ISSB are actively working to align ESRS, ISSB standards, GRI, and the GHG Protocol to reduce fragmentation for companies reporting across multiple frameworks.
- Companies should avoid creating separate reporting processes, as the global sustainability disclosure landscape continues to converge.
EFRAG and the ISSB both have active 2026 work plans, and together, their agendas will define what companies are expected to report and how.
In April, the European Financial Reporting Advisory Group (EFRAG) submitted its 2026 work plan to the European Commission, outlining its intentions to continue standard-setting and guidance development.
Meanwhile, the International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB) is in the last year of its 2024-2026 agenda, with active projects on nature, human capital, and global implementation support.
Taken together, these plans signal a period of consolidation and simplification for corporate reporting.
EFRAG’s 2026 Priorities: Refining Standards, Implementation Support, and Digitalization
EFRAG’s Sustainability Reporting Work Programme 2026 continues its focus on providing strong technical advice and supporting the practical use of ESRS. A key part of the plan is creating standards for non-EU groups (N-ESRS). EFRAG plans to release a draft of these requirements in July 2026, followed by a 100-day public consultation. Their final technical advice will go to the European Commission in early 2027. This step will expand the ESRS framework, making sure that multinational companies based outside the EU follow the same disclosure standards when operating within it.
EFRAG will also keep working to make sustainability reporting easier and less burdensome, while making sure disclosures remain reliable and comparable. The program will advance the reporting system for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with training and support for voluntary reporting.
EFRAG also plans to provide guidance, support, and assessments for topics like anticipated financial effects of sustainability issues and voluntary reporting practices.
EFRAG Work Plan
| Type of Activity | Work Stream | Upcoming Milestones |
| Standard Setting | Non-EU Groups ESRS (N-ESRS) | Draft to be released for public consultation in Jul 2026; Final technical advice expected Jan 2027 |
| Standard Setting | SME Voluntary Reporting | Implementation guides expected Jul-Dec 2026 |
| Implementation Support | Consultation to be held Jul-Oct 2026 to define priorities | Select materials expected by the end of 2026 |
| Implementation Support | ESRS Knowledge Hub | Materials expected to be added throughout 2026 |
| Digitalization | Digital Reporting with XBRL | Mid-Jul 2026 ESRS digital deliverables consultation |
ISSB 2026 Priorities: Nature, Human Capital, and SASB Enhancements
Now in year three of its 2024–2026 agenda, the ISSB is making progress on several important standard-setting projects. By mid- to late 2026, the ISSB plans to release proposals for a Practice Statement on nature-related disclosures (in lieu of a separate standard). These proposals will cover nature-related targets, location-specific information, and guidance for identifying nature-related risks and opportunities that could affect business prospects.
At the same time, the ISSB is reviewing feedback on two items under its purview: proposed changes to the SASB Standards and industry guidance for using IFRS S2 on climate.
Supporting the rollout of IFRS S1 and IFRS S2 remains the ISSB’s top priority.
ISSB Work Plan
| Type of Activity | Work Stream | Upcoming Milestones |
| Standard Setting Project | Amendments to the IFRS S2 Industry-based Guidance—Phase 1 | Exposure draft feedback expected Jun 2026 |
| Standard Setting Project | Enhancing the SASB Standards – Phase 1 | Exposure draft feedback expected Jun 2026 |
| Standard Setting Project | Enhancing the SASB Standards – Phase 1 Continued | Exposure draft feedback expected Jul-Dec 2026 |
| Research Project | Human Capital | Decide project direction by Jun 2026 |
| Taxonomy Project | IFRS Sustainability Disclosure Taxonomy Update -Amendments to Greenhouse Gas Emissions Disclosures | Proposed IFRS taxonomy update expected Jul-Dec 2026 |
| Standard Setting Project | Nature-related Disclosures (note this will be a Practice Statement not a separate standard) | Exposure draft expected Jul-Dec 2026 |
A Shared Push for Interoperability
An important thread connecting both work plans is a concerted effort to reduce reporting fragmentation. Under its Work Programme for the year, EFRAG plans to deepen alignment between the ESRS and the ISSB standards, the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), and the GHG Protocol, with the goal of reducing fragmentation for companies reporting under multiple regimes.
The ISSB has been pursuing parallel efforts on this front. During its current work plan, it aims to further harmonize the global sustainability reporting landscape. This entails crafting strategic relationships with the UK’s Transition Plan Taskforce, the GHG Protocol, CDP, the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures, and GRI. For multinational companies navigating overlapping European and global requirements, these alignment efforts could reduce compliance complexity in time.
Of note, in early May 2026, the European Commission
Where to Start
Navigating overlapping requirements of the ESRS, ISSB, GRI, and GHG Protocol can be complex. G&A’s sustainability reporting experts can help your company assess where you stand and build a disclosure strategy that’s ready for what’s ahead. Reach out to get started.
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