A Deloitte survey shows that while only 45% of companies viewed ESG as a key trust driver, 61% expected it to become critical within three years, surpassing customer experience, innovation, and cybersecurity.
As regulations such as the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) and the Securities and Exchange Commission’s (SEC) climate disclosure rules gain traction, ESG has become a board-level priority that requires structured oversight.
To support this shift, we’ve created a free ESG checklist — a practical tool to enhance board readiness, streamline audits, and ensure alignment with leading sustainability frameworks.
What is an ESG checklist?
An ESG compliance checklist is a vital corporate governance tool that:
- Ensures regulatory compliance by identifying gaps in ESG performance.
- Streamlines audits through focused data collection and reduced redundancies.
- Standardizes reporting with global frameworks, such as SASB, TCFD, and GRI.
- Centralizes risk management across climate, supply chain, and governance issues.
What’s inside the whitepaper?
This whitepaper offers a practical framework to strengthen oversight, ease compliance, and align with key sustainability standards.
Inside, you’ll find:
- A ready-to-use ESG compliance template built around three core pillars:
Environmental: emissions tracking, energy optimization, resource stewardship, waste reduction, and green tech adoption.
Social: labor compliance, pay equity, supply-chain ethics, data privacy, and stakeholder inclusion.
Governance: board independence, ethical frameworks, risk management, and reporting aligned with SASB, GRI, and TCFD. - Guidance on integrating ESG into board workflows.
- Best practices to enhance ESG reporting and compliance.
Who is this for?
Amid tightening regulations and heightened stakeholder scrutiny, this checklist provides a ready-to-use ESG guidance framework for professionals facing complex compliance demands. It’s tailored to:
- Board members and corporate secretaries who oversee the accuracy of ESG strategy and regulatory disclosures.
- ESG/compliance managers who streamline audits and ESG reporting without reinventing templates.
- Governance advisors who align clients with evolving global standards (CSRD, SEC, ISSB).
- Policy consultants who build credible ESG frameworks amid expertise shortages.
How to use the ESG checklist template
The ESG checklist template is versatile and suitable for multiple governance roles and scenarios:
Use case | Role | Actions |
Internal audits | ESG/compliance officers | Evaluate current ESG practices against standards, identify gaps, and prioritize improvements across environmental, social, and governance domains. |
Audit preparation | Corporate secretaries | Validate ESG data for regulators (e.g., CSRD, SEC), test reporting accuracy, and prepare board disclosures. |
Policy alignment | Governance advisors | Benchmark existing frameworks against SASB/GRI/TCFD requirements and refine governance structures. |
ESG clarity starts with the right checklist
Tailored for sectors ranging from real estate to private equity, it encompasses all key ESG pillars necessary for modern reporting and compliance.
Get the ESG checklist PDF and start operationalizing your board’s sustainability oversight today.