Disclosure LibraryPractitioner guidance for every reporting disclosure
Home Disclosure Library IFRS / ISSB IFRS-S2 s2-14-a
IFRS-S2: IFRS S2 - Climate-related Disclosures · 2024
Paragraphs 14–a

Strategy response and transition plan

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 how it is responding to climate-related risks and opportunities through its strategy, including whether it has a transition plan. In practice, the report should show what the organisation intends to do, how those actions fit into its wider business plans, and whether the response is already being put into effect or is still being developed.

The practical focus is on the organisation’s overall approach, not just a few headline projects or flagship sites. Readers should be able to understand whether the response covers the business as a whole, how far it reaches across operations and value chain where relevant, and what parts of the organisation are included in the plan.

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
Business model changes Describe any changes to the way the business creates value, including shifts in how resources are allocated across activities, products, services or markets. Board papers, strategy updates, budget reallocation papers, investment committee packs, business planning documents. Strategy / Finance
Direct response actions Set out actions the organisation itself has taken to reduce emissions or manage climate impacts, including measures it has implemented directly in its own operations or assets. Project trackers, site action logs, engineering change records, operational procedures, internal progress reports. Operations / Sustainability
Value chain actions Capture actions taken through suppliers, distributors, customers or other external parties that affect the organisation’s climate response, including measures outside its own operations. Supplier engagement records, customer programme summaries, contract clauses, partner reports, value-chain action trackers. Procurement / Commercial / Sustainability
Planning assumptions List the main assumptions and outside factors the organisation is relying on when describing its climate-related plans, including dependencies that could affect delivery. Planning models, scenario notes, risk registers, investment cases, assumptions logs, dependency trackers. Strategy / Risk / Finance
Strategic climate responses Explain the organisation’s main strategic responses to climate-related issues, including the high-level actions it is using to address material risks and opportunities. Strategy documents, executive committee papers, transformation roadmaps, annual plan decks, risk and opportunity registers. Strategy / Executive Office
Target delivery route Describe the route the organisation expects to follow to reach its climate target, including the main steps, milestones and levers it plans to use. Target pathway model, milestone tracker, decarbonisation roadmap, implementation plan, project portfolio reports. Sustainability / Strategy / Operations
Transition plan Set out the organisation’s plan for moving its business toward a lower-carbon operating model, including the actions, timing and dependencies that support that shift. Transition plan document, board-approved roadmap, capital allocation plan, implementation schedule, dependency register. Strategy / Sustainability / Finance
+ Show s2-14-a sub-elements (LRA working checklist)

How to prepare it

1Set the boundary for the disclosure first. Decide which parts of the business, value chain and planning horizon you are covering, so the same scope is used for every item in this disclosure.
2Agree what each item will mean in your report. For every required point, define the business changes, direct actions, upstream or customer-linked actions, assumptions, dependencies, strategic responses, the route to target delivery, and the transition plan in terms your team can apply consistently.
3Gather support for each point before drafting. Pull together board papers, project papers, budgets, implementation plans, scenario work, target trackers, and any other records that show the position you are reporting.
4Draft the figures or narrative for each required point. Where the item is qualitative, write a clear explanation; where it is quantitative, compile the numbers and make sure they tie back to the underlying records.
5Record anything left out or revised. If you have excluded a matter, changed a method, or updated an estimate, note what changed, why it changed, and whether the same approach was used across the disclosure.
6Check the draft against the official source before sign-off. Confirm that every required point is covered, the wording matches the underlying evidence, and the final version is consistent with the source material and internal approvals.
Request the data

Request the strategy and transition evidence pack

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

What changes, actions, assumptions and pathway are we using to explain how the business is responding and moving towards the target state?

Use your organisation’s own planning and programme language first, then map it to this disclosure. For example, ask for the strategy update, transformation roadmap, decarbonisation plan, or change programme if those are the terms your teams actually use. Keep the request in business terms and check the source material before sign-off.

Weak request

Please provide the IFRS S2 strategy response and transition plan evidence for the disclosure.

Why it fails: It uses framework language only, so the owner has to translate the ask from scratch. It does not say which internal pack, system, version, or business terms to use, and it does not separate the different pieces of evidence needed.

Better request

Please send the latest strategy, transformation, or transition pack for [period] that shows: plan changes, direct actions, supplier/customer-linked actions, assumptions and dependencies, the response we are taking, the pathway to the target state, and any transition roadmap. Include version, approval date, owner, and links. If your team uses different labels, send the equivalent internal pack and I will map it.

Formal email template
Subject: Request for the strategy and transition evidence pack

Hi [name],

I’m pulling together the sustainability reporting pack and need your help with the business planning evidence for [reporting period].

Please could you share the latest material that shows:
- the changes in our business plan or resource allocation;
- the direct actions we are taking ourselves;
- any actions that depend on suppliers, customers, or other external parties;
- the key assumptions and dependencies behind the plan;
- the strategic responses we are using to manage the issue;
- the pathway we are using to reach the target state; and
- the transition or change plan, if we have one.

Please include the latest version, approval date, owner, and any supporting documents or links. If your team uses different terms, please send the equivalent internal pack and I will map it for reporting. Please also flag any parts that are still draft or subject to approval.

This is a possible LRA training template only; please adapt it to your organisation and check the source material before sign-off.

Many thanks,
[preparer name]
Short Teams / Slack version
Hi [name] — could you send over the latest [strategy / transformation / transition] pack for [period]? I need the version that shows our plan changes, direct actions, supplier/customer-linked actions, assumptions, pathway to target, and any transition roadmap. Please include owner, date, approval status, and links. Use your team’s own terms if that’s easier — I’ll map them. Thanks.
Industry examples
Manufacturing

Context. The business is updating plant, energy and procurement plans across multiple sites.

Adapted request. Please share the latest operations and transition pack for [period] showing changes to plant investment, energy sourcing, direct site actions, supplier-linked actions, assumptions, the response plan, the route to target performance, and the transition roadmap. Include version, approval date, owner, and supporting files.

Example response. A site roadmap, capex tracker, board paper, and assumptions log covering plant upgrades, supplier timing, and funding approvals.

Retail / Consumer goods

Context. The business is changing product, sourcing and logistics plans across the supply chain.

Adapted request. Please send the latest trading and change pack for [period] showing changes to product mix or sourcing, actions we control directly, actions that depend on suppliers or customers, key assumptions, the response plan, the pathway to target, and any transition programme. Include version, approval date, owner, and links.

Example response. A commercial plan, sourcing programme, logistics change tracker, and assumptions note covering supplier readiness, customer demand, and rollout timing.

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

Describe the basis used to compile the disclosure, including how the business defined each action category, what period the data covers and how management judged whether an item belongs in the plan.

Context note

Explain that the figures show how the organisation is reshaping operations, spending and wider value-chain activity to support its transition route and target pathway, rather than a standalone list of initiatives.

Fluctuation statement

If the numbers moved materially, explain whether that was driven by timing, revised assumptions, changed priorities, new actions or progress in delivery, and note any one-off effects.

Content index entry
s2-14-a Strategy response and transition plan — [location / page] / [notes]
Download Centre

Preparation tools & forms

Professional preparation tools for s2-14-a — 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
Assurance readiness

For each claim, check the evidence

ClaimRiskEvidence to check
We used a defined boundary for the coverage figure and documented which sites, entities and activities were in and out, so the number was not built on an ad hoc selection.The assurer may question whether the boundary was set consistently, whether exclusions were justified, and whether the figure could be overstated or understated by selective inclusion.Boundary paper or methodology note; consolidation list; inclusion/exclusion log; management sign-off on scope decisions; reconciliation from source population to reported figure.
We separated the disclosed operations from other parts of the group and kept a clear audit trail for any judgement calls on what counted in the figure.The assurer may probe whether the scope was applied consistently across periods and whether judgement was used to omit material items.Scope memo; prior-period comparison; working papers showing judgement points; review notes from finance, sustainability and operational owners.
We based the figure on source records rather than estimates where possible, and we flagged any estimated inputs or proxy data used in the calculation.The assurer may challenge the reliability of the underlying data, the use of estimates, and whether proxies were reasonable and consistently applied.Source data extracts; data dictionary; estimation methodology; proxy rationale; evidence of review of unusual or missing values; exception log.
We checked the inputs against supporting records before publication and investigated any mismatches or unusual movements.The assurer may look for weak data controls, unresolved variances, or manual adjustments that were not supported.Reconciliations; variance analysis; exception reports; correction logs; evidence of follow-up on outliers; approval of final adjustments.
We kept evidence for the main judgements behind the figure, including the assumptions used, the basis for any exclusions, and the rationale for any planned actions described.The assurer may ask whether the narrative is supported by contemporaneous evidence and whether the assumptions are internally consistent with the rest of the report.Board or committee papers; project plans; assumption register; dependency tracker; internal approvals; links between narrative statements and source documents.

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
The request goes to the wrong team, so the people who hold the plan, actions, or assumptions never confirm the source material.
Framework language first
The data call is written in reporting jargon instead of the organisation’s own terms, and staff cannot match it to the records they actually keep.
No boundary set
The team collects mixed material without stating which business units, activities, or time horizon belong in scope.
+ Show 5 more

Where judgement is often needed

Set the reporting perimeter after a deal closes
If a purchase, sale, or carve-out changes the group’s footprint, explain which entities and activities are included in the plan and from what date the change is reflected.
Choose one working definition where country rules differ
Where local laws or market practice use different labels or thresholds for the same activity, state the definition you used, why it was chosen, and whether it was applied consistently across locations.
Decide how to handle near-boundary operations
For sites, products, or teams that sit close to the inclusion line, disclose the rule used to include or exclude them and note any material judgement made in the process.
+ Show 7 more
Examples

Illustrative examples

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

Illustrative (synthetic) example — manufacturing

We are reshaping capital spend so that 62% of this year’s investment budget is directed to lower-emission equipment, site electrification and process efficiency, up from 41% last year. To support our transition plan, we have already completed 18 of 30 planned actions, including retrofitting two plants, switching 55% of purchased electricity to renewable contracts and setting supplier requirements for logistics and packaging; the remaining 12 actions are scheduled through 2030. - Our main assumptions are stable access to renewable power, timely grid upgrades and continued customer demand for lower-carbon products, because those conditions affect the pace of delivery. - We expect our pathway to the 2030 target to come from a mix of direct operational changes, supplier engagement and customer-facing product redesign, with 74% of the planned emissions reduction already covered by actions in train.

Synthetic example showing how a company can describe changes in spending, direct and indirect actions, assumptions, strategic response and progress against a transition plan in plain language.

Illustrative (synthetic) example — food retail

We have redirected 38% of our annual capital programme toward store energy upgrades, low-carbon refrigeration and fleet charging, compared with 24% in the prior year, while also changing procurement rules so that 70% of own-brand packaging spend now sits with suppliers that meet our new design criteria. On the operational side, we have cut methane-intensive waste by 22% through food-donation routes and better stock planning, and we are asking logistics partners and key growers to adopt route optimisation, fertiliser reduction and traceability tools. - Our plan depends on customer uptake of refill and reusable options, supplier data quality and the availability of charging infrastructure, so we have built those into our scenario assumptions. - The strategy is to combine near-term efficiency gains with longer-term product and network changes; by 2028, 16 of 21 milestones should be complete, putting us on track for the 2030 emissions and waste targets in our transition plan.

Synthetic example showing a retailer-style narrative that links investment shifts, direct action, supply-chain/customer measures, assumptions and milestone-based progress.

Company reportsReal published reports
Compare side by side →Get it free

How companies report s2-14-a

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

SITC International Holdings Company Limited
Water Transportation · Hong Kong · 2025
Open report →
SITC International Holdings Company Limited’s 2025 Environmental, Social and Governance Report provides coverage of its business model changes and resource allocation in response to sustainability-related risks and opportunities, as detailed on pages 188 and 193. The report also addresses strategic responses and transition planning, including the use of diverse climate-related scenarios, on pages 195 and 193. However, the report does not clearly disclose direct mitigation or adaptation actions (p.197), nor does it provide information on indirect supply chain or customer actions, key assumptions and dependencies, or target achievement pathways.
Enel Chile S.A.
Electric Utilities / IPP / Energy Traders · Chile · 2025
Open report →
Enel Chile’s 2025 Integrated Annual Report provides coverage of direct mitigation and adaptation actions as well as a transition plan related to climate risks, both detailed on page 373. The report includes references to resource allocation connected to the business model and value chain on the same page, though the disclosure is unclear. Notably, the report lacks clear information on key assumptions and dependencies, strategic responses, and target achievement pathways, while indirect supply chain or customer actions are mentioned but not clearly disclosed (p.195).
MTR Corporation
Ground Transportation — Railroads · Hong Kong · 2025
Open report →
MTR Corporation’s Sustainability Report 2025 provides some contextual information related to strategic responses and mitigation strategies, mentioning plans to enhance railway asset management and embedding nature-related considerations (pp. 87, 92). The report also references current practices and readiness to adopt more sustainable operating approaches (p. 58). However, clear disclosures on direct mitigation adaptation actions, business model resource allocation changes, key assumptions and dependencies, indirect supply chain customer actions, target achievement pathways, and a transition plan are either unclear or not found in the report.
✓ LRA AI Assistant · Human-in-the-loop
Dr Ross Kurinko
Ask Study Studio AI assistant about this disclosure
Get practical answers for your reporting context. Your first two answers are free — join LRA Community for free to continue without a limit.
TryHow do I prepare s2-14-a?What data do I need to collect?Where can I see a real-report example?What mistakes should I avoid?
2 free answers
Check your understanding

Scenarios to work through

A manufacturer has approved a three-year shift from gas-fired equipment to electric lines, but the finance team has only budgeted the capex and not the related retraining and site upgrades. The draft narrative also mentions a supplier programme, yet no one has checked whether it is actually funded.

QHow should you decide what to include when describing the organisation’s response and transition plan?
Reveal model answer →

A utility has a pathway to cut emissions by 2035, but the board paper only states the end goal and gives no explanation of the milestones, interim actions or the conditions that must hold for delivery. The sustainability team is unsure whether the target story is enough on its own.

QWhat should you check before treating the target story as a complete transition narrative?
Reveal model answer →

A retailer plans to reduce emissions by changing its own logistics fleet, but it also expects major emissions cuts from suppliers switching to lower-carbon materials. The draft only describes the fleet change because that is the part management controls directly.

QHow should you handle the supplier-related element when drafting the response?
Reveal model answer →

A property group has a transition plan that depends on planning approvals, tenant cooperation and access to green finance. The draft mentions these in passing, but the team has not linked them to the timing of the plan or to the resource shifts already approved.

QWhat judgement should you make about those dependencies before finalising the disclosure?
Reveal model answer →
Framework references

Related framework references

How this disclosure maps across the major reporting frameworks.

IFRS / ISSB
s2-14-a
within IFRS-S2: IFRS S2 - Climate-related Disclosures
Open official source →
Primary
Related & explore
FAQ

Questions this page answers

How do I use the s2-14-a page to draft the disclosure from scratch?+
What information do I need to gather for s2-14-a before I start writing?+
How should I scope the data for s2-14-a so the disclosure is complete?+
Who should own the inputs for s2-14-a in my organisation?+
What should go into the evidence pack for s2-14-a assurance?+
What are the common mistakes to avoid when preparing s2-14-a?+
How do I use the Prep & Assurance workbook for s2-14-a?+
Can I use the synthetic example on the s2-14-a page as a template for my own disclosure?+
How do I turn the s2-14-a data into a draft narrative and table?+
Is the s2-14-a page useful if I am checking the disclosure for assurance?+
How does s2-14-a relate to ESRS E1, and can I reuse the same data?+
More questions this page can help with