ESRS (revised 2026) for Risk Managers
What does ESRS (revised 2026) require of a Risk Manager?
The revised European Sustainability Reporting Standards that undertakings in the scope of the EU Accounting Directive apply from financial years beginning in 2027: how double materiality decides what is reported, how the sustainability statement is prepared, structured and connected to the accounts, the cross-cutting governance, strategy, materiality and policy, action, metric and target disclosures, and the disclosure requirements of the ten topical standards on climate, pollution, water, biodiversity, circular economy, own workforce, value chain workers, communities, consumers and business conduct. Under ESRS (revised 2026), which defines 98 controls, a Risk Manager's work is deciding which controls you own outright, which you share and which belong to another team, then holding the evidence for the first group.
Which ESRS (revised 2026) controls land on the Risk Manager
Risk Managers identify, assess, and prioritise organisational risks. They build risk registers, conduct risk assessments, define risk appetite, and ensure that compliance frameworks address the most material threats to the organisation.
ESRS (revised 2026) defines 98 controls across 12 domains that directly affect the Risk Manager role. Understanding which controls fall within your ownership, which are shared, and which are owned by other teams is the foundation of effective compliance management.
What a Risk Manager is accountable for under ESRS (revised 2026)
Conducting enterprise risk assessments and maintaining the risk register
Defining risk appetite and tolerance levels with executive leadership
Mapping compliance controls to identified risks for coverage analysis
Monitoring key risk indicators (KRIs) and escalating emerging threats
Integrating compliance, operational, and strategic risk management
Where Risk Managers lose time on ESRS (revised 2026)
These are the most common obstacles Risk Managers face when managing ESRS (revised 2026) compliance, and how to address them:
Challenge 1
Quantifying cyber risk in financial terms that resonate with executives
Challenge 2
Identifying gaps between compliance control coverage and actual risk exposure
Challenge 3
Integrating risk data from siloed tools and departments
Challenge 4
Keeping risk assessments current as the threat landscape evolves
Challenge 5
Prioritising remediation when resources are limited
A working order for a Risk Manager starting on ESRS (revised 2026)
1. Readiness Assessment
Take a 5-minute readiness assessment to identify your organisation's current gap profile against ESRS (revised 2026). Get a prioritised action plan tailored to your specific situation.
2. Cross-Framework Mapping
Use our platform to map ESRS (revised 2026) controls against other frameworks you already comply with. Identify overlapping controls to reduce duplicate effort.
3. Build Your Toolkit
Equip yourself with ESRS (revised 2026) toolkits, self-assessments, and implementation guides from our store. Resources designed specifically for Risk Managers managing compliance programmes.
4. Continuous Monitoring
Establish ongoing compliance monitoring using our platform's gap analysis tools. Track your maturity over time and demonstrate progress to stakeholders.
ESRS (revised 2026) in your sector
Who else owns part of ESRS (revised 2026)
Questions Risk Managers ask about ESRS (revised 2026)
What does a Risk Manager need to know about ESRS (revised 2026)?
How does ESRS (revised 2026) affect the Risk Manager role?
What are the biggest ESRS (revised 2026) challenges for Risk Managers?
How should a Risk Manager prepare for a ESRS (revised 2026) audit?
What tools help Risk Managers manage ESRS (revised 2026) compliance?
Risk Manager: How ready is your organisation for ESRS (revised 2026)?
Answer 25 questions and get a professional readiness report with gap analysis, maturity scores, and prioritised action items. Results in 5 minutes.