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IFRS S2: Climate-related Disclosures · 2024
Paragraphs 11–12

Identification inputs and industry topics

Practical guidance for preparing this disclosure. Use this card to identify datapoints, verify claims and organise supporting evidence. For exact requirements, always refer to the official IFRS source.

Dr Ross Kurinko, Sustainability Reporting Trainer
Reviewed by Dr Ross Kurinko · Sustainability Reporting Trainer LRA educational guidance · Not issued or endorsed by IFRS
To prepare this disclosure
Disclosure focus

This disclosure asks an organisation to explain the inputs it used to identify the climate-related topics that matter most to its business, and to show how those inputs led to the topics it selected. In practice, that means describing the information sources, judgments and criteria used to decide which industry topics are relevant, rather than simply listing the topics themselves.

The practical focus is on whether the organisation’s identification process is broad and well-founded across the parts of the business that matter, not just based on a few visible sites or headline issues. It should be clear how the organisation considered its operations, value chain and business model when deciding which topics to report as material or significant.

This LRA educational guidance supports disclosure preparation. For the exact requirements, always refer to the official IFRS source.

Before you start

A quick mental checklist before you prepare this disclosure — tick each as you settle it.

Preparation

Key datapoints to prepare

Datapoint What to capture Evidence hint Owner
Applicability check Record the judgement used to decide whether this topic applies to the reporting entity, including the basis for that decision and any boundary or threshold considered. Decision memo, scoping paper, policy note, or sign-off showing the applicability test and conclusion. Sustainability reporting / reporting policy
Omitted items and reasons List any parts of the topic that were left out, together with the reason each part was excluded and the basis for that judgement. Exclusion log, methodology note, legal or technical assessment, and approval trail for each omission. Sustainability reporting / legal / subject matter owner
Scenario inputs used Capture whether forecasts or scenario assumptions were used, and identify the specific inputs, assumptions, or source data that fed the analysis. Model file, scenario pack, assumption register, forecast workbook, or analyst notes showing the inputs used. Strategy / finance / risk
Topics considered Record the industry-relevant subjects that were reviewed when deciding what to report, including the final set considered and any screening or selection step used. Topic screening matrix, sector review paper, workshop notes, or governance paper showing the reviewed list. Sustainability reporting / sector lead
Source data map Identify the internal and outside sources used to prepare the disclosure, including the systems, datasets, and reference materials relied on. Data lineage map, source register, system extracts, vendor files, or methodology note naming each source. Data governance / sustainability reporting / IT
+ Show s2-11-12 sub-elements (LRA working checklist)

How to prepare it

1Set the boundary for the assessment first: decide which business areas, activities, and time period are in scope, and make that choice explicit so the reader can see what the disclosure covers.
2Work through the relevant sector themes and decide which ones you have actually considered, then record the topics reviewed in plain language so the basis of the assessment is traceable.
3Gather the support behind the assessment from both inside and outside the organisation, keeping enough detail to show where the information came from and how it was used.
4Prepare the disclosure content itself, whether that is a written explanation or a yes/no style response, and make sure it matches the evidence you have assembled.
5List anything you left out and explain why, including any limits in coverage or changes in approach, so the reader can understand the gaps and the reasoning behind them.
6Before finalising, check the draft against the official source to confirm the scope, the topics considered, the evidence trail, and any exclusions are all aligned with the requirement.
Request the data

Request the inputs used to decide scope and topic coverage

Translate the disclosure into an internal business question — then adapt it to your organisation's own language.

What information did we use to decide which climate-related topics to include, which to leave out, and what internal or external sources supported that judgement?

Use your organisation’s own planning, risk, modelling and source-data terms first, then map them to the disclosure language. Keep the request in business language that the owner already uses, and check the official source before sign-off.

Weak request

Please provide the IFRS S2 identification inputs and industry topics evidence for the disclosure.

Why it fails: This uses framework language only, so the owner may not know which working papers, decisions, or source files are being asked for. It also does not say what period, boundary, exclusions, scenario inputs, or source evidence to send.

Better request

Please send the working pack used to decide which climate topics were reviewed for [period] in [business area]. Include the topics considered, any topics left out and why, any forecast or scenario inputs used, and the internal and external sources behind the judgement. Add the source file names, version, and approver so we can trace the decision.

Formal email template
Subject: Request for inputs used in climate topic screening

Hi [Name],

I’m preparing the climate reporting pack and need the working papers behind the decision on which climate-related topics were reviewed for [reporting period].

Please send the material you used to:
- decide which topics were in scope for review;
- note any topics left out and the reason;
- show any forecasts, scenario work, or other assumptions used;
- list the internal and external sources you relied on.

A simple table or pack is fine. Please include the period covered, the business area covered, the source files or systems, and the person who prepared or approved it.

If helpful, you can use the response form below. Please adapt this to your organisation’s own terms, and check the official source before sign-off.

Thanks,
[Your name]
Short Teams / Slack version
Hi [Name] — could you share the pack or table used for the climate topic review for [period]? Please include what was reviewed, what was left out and why, any forecast/scenario inputs, and the internal/external sources used. A short note with the business area, source files, and approver is enough. Please use your team’s own terms, and check the official source before sign-off. Thanks.
Industry examples
Manufacturing

Context. A plant-based group is reviewing climate topics for its annual report and wants the operations and planning team to provide the screening pack.

Adapted request. Please share the climate topic review pack for [period] covering [plants / sites / product lines]. Include the topics the team looked at, any topics not taken forward and the reason, the forecast or scenario assumptions used, and the internal and external sources behind the review. Please add the planning model name, site list, version, and reviewer.

Example response. Included topics: energy cost exposure, heat stress, supply disruption. Excluded topic: water scarcity for Site C because the site is not in a water-stressed region. Forecast inputs used: yes; demand forecast v4, capex plan, and two sensitivity cases. Internal sources: production plan, maintenance log, risk register. External sources: industry outlook note and regulator update.

Financial services

Context. A lender is preparing climate reporting and needs the risk team to provide the evidence used to decide which climate topics were relevant to the loan book and operations.

Adapted request. Please send the climate screening note for [period] covering [loan book / operations / regions]. Include the topics reviewed, any topics excluded and why, the scenario or forecast inputs used, and the internal and external sources that informed the judgement. Please add the portfolio scope, model version, and sign-off owner.

Example response. Reviewed topics: transition risk, physical risk, policy change, client concentration. Excluded topic: direct site flood exposure for the retail office portfolio because the office footprint is immaterial to the group review. Forecast inputs used: yes; portfolio stress test, macro assumptions, and scenario workbook. Internal sources: credit risk dashboard, portfolio segmentation file. External sources: central bank scenario note and sector research.

Draft your disclosure

Notes that turn data into a disclosure

LRA training templates — adapt them to your organisation, and check the official source before sign-off.

Method note

State how the team decided what to include, how it defined each topic under review, what was left out, and the basis used for any forecasts or scenario work, including where the underlying information came from.

Context note

Explain what the review covers in practice: the topics examined, the items excluded, and how the chosen data sources and scenario inputs shape the picture being reported.

Fluctuation statement

If the scope or results changed from the prior period, point to shifts in the topics reviewed, changes in exclusions, or updates to the forecast and scenario inputs, and explain how those changes affected the reported outcome.

Content index entry
s2-11-12 Identification inputs and industry topics — [location / page] / [notes]
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Preparation tools & forms

Professional preparation tools for s2-11-12 — free with an LRA Community membership. Register once (it's free) and every download unlocks, together with the Disclosure Library, templates and the LRA AI-assistant.

Free · Community members
Go deeper · s2-11-12
Learn to prepare this disclosure end-to-end

This guide covers one requirement. The IFRS S1 & S2 Reporting course walks the full ISSB workflow — governance, strategy, risk management and metrics — with exercises on your own data.

Available as Guided Flex, Live Cohort, 1:1 Expert Mentorship or Corporate Programme.

Assurance readiness

For each claim, check the evidence

ClaimRiskEvidence to check
We documented how we decided which climate-related topics were relevant to the disclosed operations, using a clear internal assessment and keeping the reasoning on file.The assurer may find the relevance review was informal, incomplete, or not tied to the reporting boundary used in the figure.Topic-screening memo, decision log, boundary map, management sign-off, and working papers showing how the conclusion was reached.
For each topic we left out, we recorded why it was not taken forward and kept that explanation alongside the assessment papers.The assurer may challenge whether exclusions were selective, weakly supported, or inconsistent with the rest of the report.Exclusion register, rationale notes, supporting analysis, and any challenge or review comments showing the exclusion was tested before publication.
We built the figure from information available at the reporting date, combining past results, current conditions, and forward-looking inputs that we judged usable without disproportionate effort.The assurer may question whether the inputs were current, sufficiently reliable, or cherry-picked to support the outcome.Source data extracts, forecast packs, scenario materials, date stamps, and evidence of the judgement used to decide what was reasonable to include.
We checked the industry topics we reviewed against the sector guidance we used as our reference point, and kept a record of the topics considered.The assurer may probe whether the review covered the right set of topics and whether any omissions were accidental.Topic checklist, mapping to the sector guidance, review notes, and evidence of management or technical review of the list considered.
We relied on a mix of internal records and external material, and we retained the source files and reconciliation work used to support the final disclosure.The assurer may test whether the source base was complete, whether external information was credible, and whether the final numbers agree to the underlying records.System reports, spreadsheets, third-party publications, reconciliations, version history, and audit trail showing how the final disclosure was assembled.

Evidence pack to prepare

Common reporting gaps

The information is presented without a date or as-at point.The scope or boundary of the statement is left undefined.Key terms are used inconsistently across the report.Material changes since the previous period are not disclosed.Assertions are made without supporting detail or a source record.Boilerplate is used that does not actually answer what is asked.
Common gaps

Mistakes to avoid when collecting the data

Wrong owner asked
The team chases the sustainability lead for source details that sit with finance, operations, risk, or the business unit that actually holds the records.
Framework terms used too early
People ask for answers in disclosure language instead of the organisation’s own process terms, so the source team cannot map the request to their records.
Scope not pinned down
The data pull starts before the boundary is fixed, so some sites, entities, or activities are included in one file and left out in another.
+ Show 6 more

Where judgement is often needed

Which business units count after a deal closes or a site is sold
Use the same cut-off date across your input list, and explain any additions or removals from the group of operations you used to identify the relevant topics.
How to handle different local meanings for the same activity or risk
Where country-level labels or thresholds differ, set out the rule you used to align them and note any local exceptions that changed the topics you reviewed.
Whether a small or newly acquired operation is included
Decide and disclose the basis for bringing in marginal operations, joint arrangements, or recently acquired assets, especially where their data is partial or not yet embedded in group reporting.
+ Show 7 more
Examples

Illustrative examples

Synthetic, written by LRA — not from a company report, not text from any standard.

Illustrative (synthetic) example — Electricity generation and retail

We first checked whether this topic was relevant to our business model and reporting scope, then limited the disclosure to the parts that were actually in scope for the year. We left out activities that were not material to the assessment and explained why they were excluded. - We used our 3-year demand outlook, a 10-year capital plan, and two climate pathways to test the assumptions behind the figures. - The review covered grid reliability, fuel mix, carbon costs, and customer demand trends, with input from our risk team and an external climate modeller. - Our evidence came from internal management accounts, asset plans, and scenario work, plus market data, regulator publications, and third-party weather datasets.

Illustrative only; shows how a reporter might explain the scope check, what was left out and why, the forward-looking inputs and scenarios used, the topics considered, and the mix of internal and external sources.

Illustrative (synthetic) example — Food manufacturing

We assessed which parts of the topic applied to our operations and supply chain, then reported only the areas that met our internal threshold for inclusion. Items outside that boundary were omitted, with a short explanation of why they did not qualify. - Our forecasts drew on a 5-year sales plan, commodity price assumptions, and three stress-test cases built around water availability and heat exposure. - The review focused on agricultural sourcing, packaging, logistics, and labour availability, using input from procurement, operations, and an outside supply-chain specialist. - We relied on internal production records, supplier questionnaires, and budget models, alongside trade statistics, satellite-based crop indicators, and public climate projections.

Illustrative only; shows a second plausible reporter describing how it decided the topic applied, what was excluded, the planning and scenario inputs used, the business topics reviewed, and the internal and external evidence base.

Company reportsReal published reports
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How companies report S2-11-12 in practice

Real reports where this topic is disclosed. These are report practice, not exact disclosure templates to copy.

DBS Group Holdings
None · Singapore · 2025
Open report →
DBS Group Holdings’ Sustainability Report 2025 includes coverage of industry topics reviewed related to climate disclosures, referencing industry-based metrics aligned with IFRS S2 guidance on page 114. The report also discusses integration of climate-related risks and opportunities into the entity’s overall risk management process (p.114) and provides some context on forecasts and scenario inputs, though this disclosure is unclear and not fully detailed (p.113). Notably, the report lacks explicit information on applicability assessment, exclusions and rationale, and internal or external data sources, with no quotable evidence found for these datapoints.
WuXi AppTec Co., Ltd.
Pharmaceuticals / Biotech / Life Sciences · China · 2024
Open report →
WuXi AppTec Co., Ltd.’s 2024 Environmental, Social and Governance Report includes coverage of industry topics reviewed in relation to IFRS S2 Industry-based Guidance on implementing disclosure topics (p.97). The report also references climate-related analysis by referring to IFRS S2 Climate-related Disclosures and related conclusions, indicating some level of applicability assessment (p.50). However, the report does not provide clear disclosures on exclusions and rationale, forecasts and scenario inputs used, or internal and external data sources, which remain unaddressed.
Hang Lung Properties Limited
Real Estate · Hong Kong · 2025
Open report →
Hang Lung Properties Limited’s Sustainability Report 2025 includes evidence on the applicability of industry-based metrics related to IFRS S2 disclosure topics, as noted on page 196. The report also references climate-related financial disclosures aligned with IFRS S2, including governance (p.221), strategy regarding risks and opportunities (pp.215, 225), and mentions the use of climate-related scenario analysis (p.228). However, the report does not provide clear information on applicability assessment, exclusions and rationale, forecasts, or internal and external data sources.
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Scenarios to work through

A reporting team has mapped climate-related risks and opportunities for a manufacturing group. They used internal production data, supplier information, and a consultant’s sector outlook, but one business unit was left out because its data was incomplete.

QHow should the team decide whether to include that business unit in the explanation of what was reviewed, and what should they do about the omission?
Reveal model answer →

A finance team used a five-year sales forecast and a temperature pathway from an external adviser to test future climate effects. The same forecast also fed the annual budget, and the team is unsure whether to mention it because it was not created specifically for climate reporting.

QShould the team disclose those inputs, and how should they frame them?
Reveal model answer →

A retailer reviewed only transition-related matters because physical risk analysis was still underway. The team also used internal loss data and a third-party climate model, but the draft note only says that ‘relevant sector matters were considered’ without naming which ones.

QWhat should the preparer do before sign-off so the disclosure is clear enough for readers and reviewers?
Reveal model answer →

A group used internal emissions data, supplier questionnaires, and an external scenario set to build its climate assessment. One subsidiary contributed only partial data, and the team is debating whether to mention the outside scenario set because it was not the final basis for every conclusion.

QWhat is the right way to handle the source list and the partial subsidiary data in the disclosure?
Reveal model answer →
Framework references

Related framework references

How this disclosure maps across the major reporting frameworks.

IFRS / ISSB
s2-11-12
within IFRS S2: Climate-related Disclosures
Open official source →
Primary
Related & explore
Go deeper · s2-11-12
Learn to prepare this disclosure end-to-end

This guide covers one requirement. The IFRS S1 & S2 Reporting course walks the full ISSB workflow — governance, strategy, risk management and metrics — with exercises on your own data.

Available as Guided Flex, Live Cohort, 1:1 Expert Mentorship or Corporate Programme.

FAQ

Questions this page answers

For s2-11-12, what should I check first before I start drafting the disclosure?+
What data do I need to gather for s2-11-12 before I can write the disclosure?+
How do I decide the scope for s2-11-12 using this page?+
Who should own the s2-11-12 data and evidence pack in practice?+
What should be in the evidence pack for s2-11-12 assurance readiness?+
What are the common mistakes to avoid when preparing s2-11-12?+
How do I use the Prep & Assurance workbook for s2-11-12?+
What can I take from the synthetic example disclosure for s2-11-12?+
How do I turn the s2-11-12 page into a draft disclosure?+
Can I reuse data from an ESRS E1 climate disclosure for s2-11-12?+
More questions this page can help with
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