Overview

Date recorded:

The ISSB met in Frankfurt on 20-23 September 2022. The following topics are on the agenda:

General Sustainability-related Disclosures—Summary of comments

The ISSB received over 700 comment letters and/or surveys. Almost all respondents supported the ISSB’s overall aim to develop a comprehensive global baseline of sustainability-related financial disclosures for the capital markets. However, many respondents asked for greater clarity, support, guidance and examples to enable effective application of the ED IFRS S1. Many respondents also suggested that the ISSB should give more consideration to the range of capabilities and preparedness of entities around the world, especially for smaller entities and entities in emerging markets, to apply IFRS S1. Many respondents emphasised the importance of close collaboration with the IASB and the importance of improving understandability, connectivity and consistency by using shared definitions and concepts across IFRS Sustainability Disclosures Standards and IFRS Accounting Standards. In addition, many respondents observed that key differences in concepts, terminologies, and definitions remain between the ISSB’s proposals and jurisdictional initiatives. They emphasised the importance for the ISSB to work together with jurisdictions, including Europe and the United States, in developing a global baseline of sustainability-related financial disclosures.

Climate-related Disclosures—Summary of comments

The ISSB received comment letters and survey responses from nearly 700 respondents. The proposals in the ED were generally well-received, in particular by users of general purpose financial reporting, who expressed strong agreement with the proposed objective and the specific proposals.  While there was broad support for IFRS S2, many respondents also asked for greater support, guidance and examples to enable effective application of the proposals.

General Sustainability-related Disclosures and Climate-related Disclosures—Plan for redeliberations

Noting that there has been widespread support for the proposed requirements in the EDs, the staff suggested focusing on a limited number of topics for redeliberations, which are for joint topics relevant to both EDs: scalability, and current and anticipated effects of sustainability-related and climate-related risks and opportunities. For IFRS S1: enterprise value; breadth of reporting required; 'significant’ sustainability-related risk or opportunity; identifying significant sustainability-related risks and opportunities and disclosures; application of the materiality assessment; connected information; and frequency of reporting. For IFRS S2: strategy and decision-making, including transition planning; climate resilience; greenhouse gas emissions; and industry-based requirements, including financed and facilitated emissions.

General Sustainability-related Disclosures and Climate-related Disclosures—Scalability

Most respondents to the consultation suggested that the ISSB should give more consideration to the range of capabilities and preparedness of entities around the world to apply the proposals in the EDs. At this meeting, the ISSB members were asked (i) whether they want to explore mechanisms to enable the requirements to be scalable, (ii) for feedback on the proposed mechanisms for addressing scalability and (iii) for feedback on the factors that should be used when evaluating which mechanism could be used for addressing particular scalability challenges.

Climate-related Disclosures—Financed and Facilitated Emissions

The ED IFRS S2 proposed the addition of “transition risks exposure” as a disclosure topic in the industry-based disclosure requirements for four industries–commercial banks, investment banking and brokerage, asset management and custody activities and insurance. The staff thinks the ISSB will need to consider in its future redeliberations the scope of the proposals, data considerations, industry breakdown, complexity and requests for increased flexibility.

IASB Update—Developing the IASB’s future work programme

In the presentation, the staff outlined a breakdown of the IASB’s activities, its projects, key messages from the IASB’s agenda consultation and financial reporting issues added to the IASB’s work plan. The staff also provided a closer look at the IASB projects on Intangible Assets, Climate-related Risks in the Financial Statements and Management Commentary.

ISSB discussions

As this was a meeting to discuss feedback the ISSB was not asked to make any decisions. The summary meeting notes capture the main reflections of the ISSB members. Importantly, the ISSB supported the proposed redeliberation plan. The ISSB will start to discuss specific issues in October.

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