How much does implementing a VSME report cost?

Costs depend on company size and report scope; according to EFRAG, administrative costs per ESG data request are €2,100 (micro), €4,700 (small) and €7,100 (medium-sized companies)[74]. One-time VSME implementation involves higher initial costs (e.g. ~€20,000), which halve from the second year onwards[103][104].

Cluster: Effort & Budget • Updated:

See this question in the cluster Back to FAQ Hub

How much does implementing a VSME report cost?

Short answer: Costs depend on company size and report scope; according to EFRAG, administrative costs per ESG data request are €2,100 (micro), €4,700 (small) and €7,100 (medium-sized companies)[74]. One-time VSME implementation involves higher initial costs (e.g. ~€20,000), which halve from the second year onwards[103][104].

The EFRAG study quantifies costs per ESG request: micro enterprises pay an average of €2,100, small companies €4,700 and medium-sized €7,100[74]. These amounts mainly reflect internal personnel costs and quickly add up with multiple requests. Karomia explains that without VSME, a company had to answer multiple questionnaires; each cost about €7,000[105]. By introducing VSME, all requests were consolidated into one report. According to the case study, one-time setup costs are around €20,000, with ongoing costs then at about €9,000 per year[106]. Thanks to data reuse and lower consulting costs, total costs decrease by approximately 50% from the second year[103].

Affordable tool options to reduce implementation costs:

  • EFRAG Digital Template - Completely free Excel template with XBRL export
  • SUSTAIN REPUBLIC - From €149/year (€12.42/month) with AI assistance and XBRL export
  • Planted - Free plan available, or from €169/month for advanced features

Sources: [74] EFRAG's%20Cover%20Letter%20and%20Cost%20Benefit%20Analysis%20on%20VSME.pdf; [103], [104], [105], [106] Stop Drowning in ESG Requests: One VSME Report Can Do It All | Karomia Blog

Back to cluster Back to FAQ Hub