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London Reporting Academy ESRS 2 · General Disclosures · Disclosure Requirement BP-1

Applicable from FY2027

This revised ESRS edition applies from reporting year 2027. For reporting years 2024–2026, use the ESRS 2023 edition.

Basis for preparation of the sustainability statement

BP-1 · mandatory · coverage + narrative

BP-1 explains the basis used to prepare the sustainability statement. It covers whether the statement is prepared on a consolidated or individual basis, differences between the reporting boundary for the undertaking's own operations and the consolidated financial statements, and an overview of upstream and downstream value-chain coverage.

Start preparing ↓ Official European Commission source ↗

Disclosure focus

The disclosure also includes the statement that the sustainability statement has been prepared in accordance with the ESRS applicable at the end of the reporting period.

Where the undertaking applies a relief, option or other specific provision in ESRS 1, it identifies the provision and supplies the related information required by that provision. Estimates, cut-off controls and wider data-quality checks may support preparation but are not separate BP-1 requirements.

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

Prepare

What to collect before drafting

Tick each field as the evidence lands. Owners are the teams that usually hold the source files.

  • Preparation basis

    Sustainability reporting / Finance

    State whether the sustainability statement is prepared on a consolidated or individual basis.

    Evidence Dated source records, governance papers and approval evidence supporting preparation basis.

    Watch for The published response for preparation basis is incomplete or does not match the supporting records.

  • Own-operations reporting boundary

    Sustainability reporting / Finance

    Describe differences from the consolidated financial-statement boundary and the reasons for those differences, where they exist.

    Evidence Dated source records, governance papers and approval evidence supporting own-operations reporting boundary.

    Watch for The published response for own-operations reporting boundary is incomplete or does not match the supporting records.

  • Value-chain coverage

    Sustainability reporting

    Provide an overview of upstream and downstream value-chain coverage.

    Evidence Dated source records, governance papers and approval evidence supporting value-chain coverage.

    Watch for The published response for value-chain coverage is incomplete or does not match the supporting records.

  • Statement of accordance

    Sustainability reporting / Legal

    State that the sustainability statement was prepared in accordance with the ESRS applicable at the end of the reporting period.

    Evidence Dated source records, governance papers and approval evidence supporting statement of accordance.

    Watch for The published response for statement of accordance is incomplete or does not match the supporting records.

  • ESRS 1 provisions applied

    Sustainability reporting / Legal

    Identify each relief, option or other specific ESRS 1 provision applied and provide the information required by that provision.

    Evidence Dated source records, governance papers and approval evidence supporting esrs 1 provisions applied.

    Watch for The published response for esrs 1 provisions applied is incomplete or does not match the supporting records.

Before you start

  • Use the reporting undertaking defined for the sustainability statement and distinguish own operations from upstream and downstream value-chain information.
  • Boundary differences and ESRS 1 provisions are reported when they exist or are applied; do not invent omissions or reliefs.
  • Have the supporting records and the final response been reconciled?
＋ Show BP-1 sub-elements (LRA working checklist)

How to prepare it

Use the reporting undertaking defined for the sustainability statement and distinguish own operations from upstream and downstream value-chain information.
Collect and reconcile the records for: Preparation basis; Own-operations reporting boundary; Value-chain coverage; Statement of accordance; ESRS 1 provisions applied.
Boundary differences and ESRS 1 provisions are reported when they exist or are applied; do not invent omissions or reliefs.
Draft the response using the defined terms shown in the disclosure focus; do not substitute broader internal labels.
Review the final wording against every requirement and the supporting governance or data records before sign-off.

Request the data

Request the disclosure evidence

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

Provide the approved preparation-basis paper, financial-boundary reconciliation, value-chain coverage overview, statement of accordance and register of ESRS 1 provisions applied.

Use the organisation's own role and document names, but preserve the defined ESRS terms and the scope described above.

Better request

Provide the approved preparation-basis paper, financial-boundary reconciliation, value-chain coverage overview, statement of accordance and register of ESRS 1 provisions applied.

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

Reconcile the sustainability reporting boundary to the consolidated financial statements and verify each claimed ESRS 1 provision against the applicable paragraph.

Context note

Keep broader estimates, cut-off and data-quality controls clearly labelled as internal preparation controls.

Download Centre

Preparation tools & forms

Download preparation tools for BP-1 with free verified email access for 24 hours. Source-report links remain public.

Free · Email access
01XLSPrep & Assurance workbookDatapoints, risks, evidence to check, owner and evidence pack.Get it free ↧ 02XLSData-request packRequest email, message template, response fields and sign-off structure.Get it free ↧ 03PDFLibrary CardPrintable one-page summary of this disclosure card.Get it free ↧

Check

For each claim, check the evidence

  • Preparation basis is reported accurately and completely.

    Risk The response omits, misclassifies or overstates preparation basis.

    Evidence to check Dated source records, governance papers and approval evidence supporting preparation basis.

  • Own-operations reporting boundary is reported accurately and completely.

    Risk The response omits, misclassifies or overstates own-operations reporting boundary.

    Evidence to check Dated source records, governance papers and approval evidence supporting own-operations reporting boundary.

  • Value-chain coverage is reported accurately and completely.

    Risk The response omits, misclassifies or overstates value-chain coverage.

    Evidence to check Dated source records, governance papers and approval evidence supporting value-chain coverage.

  • Statement of accordance is reported accurately and completely.

    Risk The response omits, misclassifies or overstates statement of accordance.

    Evidence to check Dated source records, governance papers and approval evidence supporting statement of accordance.

  • ESRS 1 provisions applied is reported accurately and completely.

    Risk The response omits, misclassifies or overstates esrs 1 provisions applied.

    Evidence to check Dated source records, governance papers and approval evidence supporting esrs 1 provisions applied.

Evidence pack to prepare

Common reporting gaps

  • Using the 2023 BP-1 title.
  • Treating estimates and general completeness as the subject of BP-1.
  • Omitting the statement of accordance.
  • Treating phase-in provisions as BP-1 rather than BP-2.
  • Presenting internal preparation fields as official datapoints.
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Framework references

Relevant ESRS requirements and related disclosures

ESRS

BP-1

within ESRS 2: General Disclosures

Open official source →

Guides that settle this question

ESRS 2 General Disclosures: basis of preparation, governance, strategy, business model, stakeholders, material IROs, content index and GDR →How to Prepare an ESRS Sustainability Statement: Complete Step-by-Step Guide →

Related & explore

Disclosures in Relation to Specific Circumstances → CardActions and Resources in Relation to Material Sustainability Matters → CardMetrics in Relation to Material Sustainability Matters → CardPolicies Adopted to Manage Material Sustainability Matters → CardTargets in Relation to Material Sustainability Matters → CardBrowse all disclosures →

More in ESRS 2 →Browse full catalogue →Search all disclosures →

How this library is built 1,211 published reports indexed 315,012 pages with page-level citations 272 published cards in the active catalogue
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