How CSRD Reporting Can Help You Win More Contracts

If your small business sells to larger companies, you’ve probably started hearing new questions: “What’s your carbon footprint?” “Do you have an ESG policy?” “Can you provide sustainability data for our supply chain?”

These aren’t just buzzwords — they’re a direct result of the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD). Large EU companies must now disclose environmental and social data across their entire value chain. That means your clients need sustainability information from you.

For small and growing businesses (SMEs), this shift is a huge opportunity. With a simple, CSRD-aligned sustainability report, you can stand out from competitors, build trust, and win more contracts — especially with corporates and public-sector buyers.

1. Why Your Clients Care About Your Data

Under CSRD and the European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS), companies must measure and report their Scope 3 emissions — the indirect impacts that occur in their supply chain.

This makes suppliers a crucial part of the reporting equation. If your client can’t collect reliable sustainability data from its partners, it risks failing its own audit or assurance check.

That’s why many large companies now:

• Include sustainability questions in tender forms and procurement portals
• Require suppliers to fill in ESG or CSRD questionnaires
• Prefer vendors that can provide structured data in VSME or ESRS format

If you can respond quickly and clearly, you’ll be the supplier they remember — and keep.

2. Use the VSME Standard to Deliver What Buyers Want

The Voluntary Sustainability Reporting Standard for SMEs (VSME), developed by EFRAG in 2024, was designed exactly for this situation.

It helps small businesses:

• Report on 11 key sustainability topics (environmental, social, and governance)
• Provide credible, proportionate information to larger customers
• Avoid overcomplicated frameworks meant for big corporations

Most buyers only need summary data — such as your energy use, workforce size, or waste reduction efforts. The VSME Standard gives you a recognised way to share this data without consultants or costly systems.

3. Sustainability as a Competitive Advantage

Having even a simple CSRD- or VSME-aligned report signals professionalism and reliability. For procurement teams under pressure to verify supply-chain sustainability, your report becomes a differentiator.

You’ll stand out because:

• You speak your client’s compliance language (ESRS/VSME format)
• You make their own reporting easier and faster
• You reduce their assurance and risk burden

In competitive tenders, this can tip the scales in your favour — especially when other small suppliers say, “we don’t track that yet.”

4. Align Your Reporting With Tender Requirements

Before submitting proposals, review common sustainability criteria in tender documents. Typical questions include:

• Do you track energy or fuel use?
• Do you have a code of conduct or anti-corruption policy?
• How do you manage employee well-being and safety?
• Do you monitor waste or recycling?

By aligning your VSME disclosures to these points, you can answer quickly and confidently — often with information you already collect for your operations or invoices.

Tip: Keep a “sustainability data pack” (Excel or PDF) ready to attach to any tender submission.

5. Build Trust and Long-Term Partnerships

Large companies value suppliers who reduce administrative work and compliance risk. Once you provide structured sustainability data once, your client can reuse it for annual CSRD reports — saving them time every year.

This creates a trusted-partner relationship, where you’re seen as part of their sustainable value chain. Over time, it can lead to:

• Preferred supplier status
• Long-term contracts or renewals
• Inclusion in sustainability-focused projects or innovation pilots

Your CSRD report isn’t just compliance — it’s a relationship tool.

6. Open Doors to New Markets and Funding

Many public-sector and international tenders now include sustainability scoring. Even small suppliers can earn extra points for having a recognised sustainability report.

Examples include:

• EU-funded programmes requiring ESG or climate data
• Local government contracts favouring “responsible procurement”
• Investors preferring companies with measurable sustainability indicators

Being prepared with a VSME or CSRD-aligned report can unlock opportunities that might otherwise be out of reach.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do small suppliers have to report under CSRD?

No — only large or listed companies are legally required to report. But smaller suppliers are increasingly asked to share sustainability data as part of supply-chain transparency.

What’s the simplest way to start?

Use the VSME Basic Module to gather your core data: energy, workforce, waste, and governance. It’s proportionate, easy to follow, and aligns with what most large clients need.

How should I share my data with clients?

Prepare a short sustainability summary (2–3 pages) with your key metrics and policies. You can share it as a PDF or upload it through their supplier platform.

What if I don’t have all the data yet?

Be honest and explain what you’re working to improve. Partial data is better than none — and transparency builds credibility.

Key Terms

• CSRD: Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (EU 2022/2464)
• VSME: Voluntary Sustainability Reporting Standard for non-listed SMEs (EFRAG, 2024)
• ESRS: European Sustainability Reporting Standards (mandatory for large companies)
• Scope 3 Emissions: Indirect emissions from suppliers and customers
• Value Chain: All activities from raw materials to end-of-life of a product

Conclusion: Reporting That Wins Business

CSRD reporting isn’t just a compliance exercise — it’s a growth strategy. By speaking your clients’ language and making sustainability data easy to share, you’ll become the kind of supplier they can’t afford to lose.

Start small, use the VSME framework, and treat sustainability as part of your sales toolkit. For the next decade, transparency will be the new trust currency — and the suppliers who report early will lead the pack.