Preparation Process under the CSRD – An empirical exploration

Abstract

This thesis examines how the company Ipsen International GmbH organizes the preparation process of a sustainability report in accordance with the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), the challenges they face throughout the process, how these challenges relate to challenges identified in academic literature, and how they are addressed by Ipsen. The study was conducted as a qualitative case study, including document analysis and interviews with Ipsen employees. The analysis revealed a significant overlap between challenges identified by literature and by Ipsen. Main findings include that Ipsen faced unclear requirements, complex information, perceived usefulness of the report, and resource limitations. Further, it was discovered that Ipsen attempts to solve the challenges they face by retaining support from an accounting firm, while some challenges were left unsolved for differing reasons. However, some challenges Ipsen described were not yet studied by literature, and some challenges discussed by literature did not turn out to be a problem for Ipsen. This disparity and practical implications were discussed, highlighting the need for clear and practical reporting guidelines for companies, in addition to an improved timeline when companies are mandated to report, to ensure sufficient preparation.