Sustainability Reporting According to VSME - Practitioner Training

Your Path to Practical, Voluntary Sustainability Reporting

Sustainability reporting is no longer just for large corporations. With increasing expectations from investors, banks and customers, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are under growing pressure to demonstrate transparency around their environmental and social impact. But how can companies with up to 250 employees create meaningful reports without being overwhelmed by complexity?

The Voluntary Sustainability Reporting Standard for SMEs (VSME) provides a structured, simplified framework designed specifically for SMEs. This one-day practical training equips you with the knowledge and tools to implement the VSME in your organization – from understanding its structure to calculating your company carbon footprint and the implementation of the data collection and reporting process.

Target Group, Learning Objectives & Units

The course is based on the Voluntary Sustainability Reporting Standard for SMEs (VSME), a simplified framework developed by EFRAG to support SMEs in voluntary reporting. It complements the European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS) under the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) and reflects regulatory trends toward increased transparency across the value chain. The VSME allows SMEs to improve comparability and strengthen their position in sustainable markets.

This training is designed for professionals from SMEs who are going to start sustainability-related reporting, including:

Sustainability and environmental managers
Managing directors and board members
Marketing and communication managers
HR, finance and controlling professionals
Internal auditors and compliance officers

1. Fundamentals of Sustainability Reporting

2. Introduction to VSME and Its Link to ESRS

3. Step-by-Step Reporting Process

4. Creating a Company Carbon Footprint (Scope 1 & 2)

5. Best Practices and Lessons Learned

Explain the purpose and benefits of voluntary sustainability reporting
Understand the structure of the VSME framework and its reporting modules
Define a suitable reporting path for your company
Outline the VSME reporting process within your organization
Calculate Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions using the GHG Protocol

Training Course Details

Duration: 1 day (8 teaching units, 360 minutes)
Delivery format: (Vvirtual) classroom
Entry requirements: none/no special requirements
Examination procedure: Exam at the end of the course
Completion: DEKRA certificate of participation after successful completion
Technical requirements:
Stable internet connection, up-to-date operating system, and browser, microphone, speakers, webcam

Price: get in contact with your local entity DEKRA worldwide

Why DEKRA?

We combine regulatory expertise with hands-on industry experience to guide SMEs through the reporting process efficiently.
Our training is designed to be pragmatic and interactive, with real-world examples, exercises, and ready-to-use tools.
We support your long-term success with guidance that is implementation-focused and aligned with leading sustainability frameworks.