FAQ

Whether a listed corporation or a small one-person business – companies are increasingly being asked by banks to provide ESG data. Here’s why:

• Regulatory obligations of banks: ESG data is needed to meet supervisory requirements and for the bank’s own sustainability reporting.

• Loan issuance: Regulatory requirements call for the integration of ESG risks into the credit approval process. ESG data can have a positive impact on a customer’s loan conditions.

• Client advisory: Supporting corporate clients in their transformation toward greater sustainability. Opportunities can be identified and promoted through financing.
  Example: Switching to renewable energy resources.

• Share your ESG data with banks: Grant your main banks permission to access your ESG data. This gives them all the information they need from you. It also shows that you are proactive and already engaged with ESG topics.

• View your ESG summary: Get a visual overview of your strengths and weaknesses in each of the three areas – Environment, Social, and Governance. You can also compare your data with that of other companies in your industry.

• Generate your ESG report: Receive a detailed report of all your ESG data, including insightful tables and charts. Color-coded indicators help you easily see where you are performing well and where there is room for improvement. You can also share the ESG report with other stakeholders.

You can create a new version of your questionnaire at any time. Your previously entered data will be displayed, allowing you to overwrite it and complete a new version of the questionnaire. This way, you can update individual data points whenever needed. Completed questionnaire versions can be downloaded as ESG reports in PDF format. This ensures that older versions and data entries are preserved.

The contents of the OeKB > ESG Data Hub questionnaire are tailored to the ESG requirements of banks in Austria. The content is strongly aligned with the CSRD (Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive) and the ESRS (European Sustainability Reporting Standards).

The VSME-AddOn covers the Voluntary Sustainability Reporting Standards for SMEs (VSME). These standards are aimed at companies that are not subject to the CSRD reporting obligation but still want to report on ESG topics in a structured and EU-compliant manner — including to relevant stakeholders.

This varies from bank to bank. For more detailed information, we kindly ask you to contact your account manager at your main bank.

Currently, importing or exporting ESG data is not possible. We are working on an XBRL interface for the VSME-AddOn.