Celebrating 25 Years of Excellence
ESG & Sustainability

Climate disclosure built to be assurance-ready from day one.

ESG and sustainability frameworks are intricate, continually changing, and span multiple jurisdictions. CFGI’s Sustainability practice supports companies through CSRD, IFRS S1 and S2, California’s Climate Accountability Package, EU Taxonomy, TCFD, and the GHG Protocol. The team is built from audit and assurance backgrounds, ready for the limited-assurance regime regulators are introducing now.

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1,400+Professionals
2000Founded
4Global ESG Hubs: UK, US, Singapore, Germany
7ESG Software Partnerships in the Stack
8Frameworks Implemented Across the Practice
An auditor’s eye on sustainability reporting. Independent by Design. No Audit Restrictions.
What we’re seeing in the ESG landscape

Four shifts redefining ESG reporting.

ESG is no longer a side initiative. It is embedded in strategy, risk management, and operations, and the regulatory map is moving faster than most reporting teams can keep up with. Four shifts keep coming up in nearly every Sustainability conversation we are in.

01

ESG blended with the wider business

Climate strategy and supply chain transparency are core focus areas. Investor expectations and stakeholder pressure mean ESG sits next to capital allocation decisions, not in a side report nobody reads.

02

Sustainability is linked to capital access

Green finance, valuation, and the rising scrutiny on greenwashing all tie ESG performance to the cost of capital. Voluntary adoption of frameworks is rising, with leaders willing to keep pushing for quality of data, not just quantity.

03

AI and digital tools inside ESG

Data collection, reporting automation, and scenario analysis are all moving from spreadsheets to purpose-built platforms. The question is which tools fit, which integrate, and which still need governance wrapped around them.

04

Regulatory backtracking, especially in the EU

EU CSRD revisions and US state-by-state legislation have left many companies in limbo on what they need to do and who should do it. The right move is a clear regulatory roadmap with named owners and deadlines.

How CFGI helps

Five capabilities across the climate disclosure stack.

CFGI works across the global ESG regulatory map. Engagements scale from a free Climate Risk Awareness review through a full SB 253 GHG inventory build, with the same team that has run CSRD, IFRS S1 and S2, California SB 253 and SB 261, EU Taxonomy, TCFD, and TPT projects across multiple sectors.

Climate Disclosure

California SB 253, SB 261, AB-1305, draft state rules in NY, NJ, IL, CO, plus SEC S-K climate-related considerations and NAIC guidance for insurers.

CSRD & EU Taxonomy

CSRD framework implementation, ESRS gap assessments, double materiality, EU Taxonomy alignment, and disclosure controls ready for limited assurance.

IFRS S1 & S2

ISSB framework adoption, climate-related financial disclosures, governance and strategy integration, and roadmap to first-period reporting compliance.

GHG Emissions Inventory

Scope 1, 2, and 3 mapping aligned to the GHG Protocol. Activity-level walkthroughs, carbon accounting policies, basis of preparation, and emissions workbooks.

Software & Tech Enablement

ESG software selection across seven CFGI partnerships including Envoria, Workiva, Lucanet, Daato, Watershed, Munich RE, and Risilience. ERP integration and governance wrap.

Framework Implementation

  • CSRD, ESRS, and EU Taxonomy alignment end to end
  • IFRS S1 and S2 adoption and first-period readiness
  • California Climate Accountability Package: SB 253, 261, AB-1305
  • TCFD and TPT alignment and roadmap
  • SEC S-K climate considerations and NAIC for insurers

GHG Emissions & Carbon Accounting

  • Activity walkthroughs and emissions completeness exercises
  • Carbon accounting policies aligned to GHG Protocol
  • Scope 1, 2, and 3 calculation workbooks and data hierarchies
  • Basis of preparation documentation for assurance
  • GHG accounting tool RFP and vendor selection

Climate Risk & Scenario Analysis

  • SB 261 climate-related financial risk disclosure
  • Materiality assessment and double materiality for CSRD
  • Scenario analysis aligned to TCFD and ISSB
  • Physical and transitional risk identification and mitigation
  • Climate risks register integrated with enterprise risk

Assurance Readiness

  • Limited assurance preparation across CSRD and SB 253
  • Disclosure-by-disclosure evidence map
  • Documented processes, walkthroughs, and controls
  • Evidence of review and approval at sign-off
  • Consistency checks across risk, finance, and ESG reporting
Low-friction offer

Expert Access

A free introduction to CFGI’s ESG subject matter experts. We walk through applicable regulation at a high level, share market examples, and give the team confidence in next steps.

Best for: leaders sizing the scope of an ESG program before scoping a project.

Low-friction offer

Climate Risk Awareness

A free, high-level review of the current risk management process and how well it covers sustainability and climate. We surface what climate-risk consideration looks like for the company and flag the climate risks we have already identified.

Output: clarity on potential issues and a recommended path forward.

Low-friction offer

Software Advisory

CFGI works with seven ESG software partners across GHG accounting, climate risk intelligence, CSRD, EU Taxonomy, and carbon footprint reporting. We advise on selection and configuration without locking the company into a single platform.

Output: a written recommendation, with the governance wrap that makes the tool actually work.

Why CFGI in ESG

Auditor’s eye. ESG specialist’s depth.

CFGI brings deep expertise in assurance, with team members who held Big 4 partner and senior roles before joining the firm. We integrate ESG into the broader financial reporting and risk framework, not as a side process, and we leave the team self-sufficient for future reporting cycles.

Built for the assurance regime already arriving.

  • Assurance backgroundAll ESG team members come from Big 4 backgrounds. Audit methodologies, regulatory expectations, and limited-assurance requirements are second nature to the practice.
  • More than ESG consultancyDeep expertise in accounting, financial reporting, and assurance, plus targeted support across cybersecurity, internal controls, and data governance under one firm.
  • Global ESG service offeringDedicated teams in the UK, US, Singapore, and Germany give companies a cross-border perspective on CSRD, EU Taxonomy, IFRS S1 and S2, and other regional standards.
  • Enabling self-sufficiencyStructured frameworks, practical tools, and knowledge transfer to finance and sustainability teams. Companies leave the engagement able to run the next cycle internally.
  • No audit restrictionsCFGI is not an attestation firm. We can stand up and document the program alongside the external assurance provider, with no independence conflict.
Where ESG teams get stuck

Six pressure points on every ESG team’s plate.

GHG inventory completeness, especially Scope 3

Reporting entities have to collect, analyze, and disclose Scope 1, 2, and 3 data. Completeness is the hardest part, especially Scope 3. Entities often skip the upfront analysis and miss where their emissions actually arise.

Right first time matters more than people realize

Incorrect first-year implementation creates harder problems in future periods. Restating first-year benchmarks costs more to remediate and damages credibility with regulators, auditors, and investors.

Stakeholder engagement across the value chain

Reporting entities have to collaborate with suppliers and partners up and down the value chain on climate-related matters. This takes time and resource that almost no internal ESG team has spare.

Assurance readiness gets underestimated

Many companies have implemented some form of climate assessment in their risk management, but the climate-related reporting itself is not ready for audit, particularly GHG data. Limited assurance is arriving and the documentation gap is real.

The regulatory map keeps shifting

EU CSRD revisions, US state-by-state climate rules, SEC pullback, and California implementation timing have left many companies unsure what to prioritize. A clear regulatory timeline with deadlines and named owners is the fastest way out.

Data infrastructure was not built for it

Financial systems, ERP, and HR data were not designed to surface emissions, climate risk, or supply chain attestation. Some of the gap is software, much of it is governance, and most of it is policy and process.

How a CFGI ESG engagement covers it

Frameworks covered. Deliverables sized to the regime.

8 frameworksCSRD, IFRS S1, IFRS S2, California climate rules, EU Taxonomy, TCFD, GHG Protocol Scope 1, 2, 3, and the Transition Plan Taskforce.
7 software partnersEnvoria, Workiva, Lucanet, Daato, Watershed, Munich RE Location Risk, and Risilience. Vendor-neutral advisory tied to actual implementation experience.
8 weeksStandard SB 261 disclosure report lifecycle: capture activities, stakeholder assessment, climate risk assessment with mitigations, and draft disclosure reports.
4 global hubsUK, US, Singapore, and Germany. One cross-border practice, not a network of independent consultants stitched together at the bid stage.
Inside a CFGI ESG engagement

Three engagements told regulation by regulation.

Regulation 1

California SB 261 climate financial risk

8-week disclosure report lifecycle

Scenario

A company with annual revenue over $500 million has to disclose climate-related financial risks and the measures used to mitigate them, biennially, on its website and a CARB public docket. No formal climate risk assessment exists yet and the deadline is closing.

Action taken

CFGI runs the SB 261 approach over eight weeks. Weeks 1 to 4 capture activities, revenue sources, and California-specific climate exposure and complete benchmarking against industry competitors. Weeks 3 to 6 define key stakeholder populations and run stakeholder workshops to identify the climate risks that matter. Weeks 3 to 7 perform the climate risk assessment with management. Weeks 5 to 8 draft the SB 261 disclosure report and supporting memo for repeat use in future years.

Outcomes

  • Clean SB 261 disclosure report ready to publish on website and CARB docket.
  • Updated climate risks register integrated with enterprise risk management.
  • Stakeholder workshop documentation and interview minutes for future audits.
  • A short memo describing the steps taken so the business can run year two internally.
Regulation 2

California SB 253 GHG inventory and reporting

Scope 1, 2, 3 mapped to the GHG Protocol

Scenario

A company with annual revenue over $1 billion has to disclose Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions annually on a digital reporting platform, with limited assurance on Scope 1 and 2 from 2026 and reasonable assurance from 2030. Penalties for non-compliance run up to $500,000 per year. The team is starting close to scratch.

Action taken

CFGI runs the SB 253 approach across the year. The team performs walkthroughs with finance to identify activities tied to GHG emissions, interviews activity owners, prepares carbon accounting policies aligned to the GHG Protocol, develops data hierarchies and reporting requirements, then collates and calculates spend and activity data into emissions. An optional GHG accounting tool RFP runs in parallel.

Outcomes

  • GHG basis of preparation covering the nature, scope, and accounting for emissions.
  • Workbooks to calculate Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions from spend and activity data.
  • GHG reporting tool recommendation with scoring against three best-fit providers.
  • Assurance-ready documentation map for the limited-assurance regime starting in 2026.
Regulation 3

CSRD and EU Taxonomy implementation

Framework adoption to assurance readiness

Scenario

An in-scope group needs to adopt CSRD and ESRS, run a double-materiality assessment, align revenues and expenses to EU Taxonomy, and reach first-period reporting with documentation good enough to pass limited assurance. Existing data sits across finance, HR, procurement, climate, and risk in different formats.

Action taken

CFGI runs the framework end to end. Materiality assessment and stakeholder engagement set the disclosure scope. Governance structure gets designed to embed ESG into the organization. EU Taxonomy alignment runs against revenues and expenses. Climate-related risks and opportunities are identified, modeled, and mitigated. Software tools are selected and configured. Disclosure-by-disclosure evidence is documented for the assurance provider.

Outcomes

  • CSRD-aligned sustainability statement ready for first-period publication.
  • Double materiality assessment with prioritized impacts, risks, and opportunities.
  • EU Taxonomy alignment for revenue, capex, and opex, with audit trail.
  • Documented controls and review evidence ready for limited-assurance engagement.
ESG Sustainability leadership

Talk to the partner who leads CFGI’s Sustainability practice.

Chris Docherty headshot

Chris Docherty

Partner | Sustainability Practice Leader
Leads CFGI’s Sustainability practice with deep experience running CSRD, IFRS S1 and S2, California Climate Rules, and other framework implementations. 13 years at EY as audit partner before joining CFGI.

cdocherty@cfgi.com
Connect with Chris

Ready to build climate reporting that holds up?

Start with a free Expert Access call, a free Climate Risk Awareness review, or scope an SB 261 disclosure report, an SB 253 GHG inventory, or a full CSRD implementation. Same practice, sized to the regime.

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