(Double) Materiality Assessment

Disclosing your sustainability performance to your stakeholders starts with identifying which topics are important, or in technical terms, material enough to report on. Conducting a (double) materiality analysis is a mandatory step in sustainability reporting standards including the ESRS, GRI and ISSB.

Through a materiality assessment, you identify and prioritise your organisation’s most important (negative and positive) impacts on people and the environment. This is called the impact perspective. “Double” materiality brings in a second perspective, namely the financial perspective. This lens involves identifying the impacts of sustainability topics on your business, which are expressed in risks or opportunities.

When well-designed, a (Double) Materiality Assessment (DMA) can also be more than just a mandatory step in sustainability reporting. The outcomes of the assessment can help you focus on strategic sustainability priorities in the short, medium, and long term. They support the integration of sustainable practices throughout the organisation, from operations to strategy, and from human resources to procurement.

The results of a (D)MA also inform the risk management processes and test the resilience of your business model against emerging impacts, risks, and opportunities (IROs). Engaging with your stakeholders during the process helps you finetune your strategy and identify and address operational issues, while at the same time building stakeholder trust.

Whether you are starting from scratch or updating your existing materiality assessment, we help you determine the sustainability topics that matter the most to your organisation.

Our approach

Conducting a (Double) Materiality Assessment for the first time can be a challenge. Where to start? How to get your stakeholders involved in the process? There are also challenges for companies updating their (Double) Materiality Assessment. Given the ongoing changes in the reporting standards, how to stay up to date with the most recent requirements? How to make sure the process is audit-proof?

At 2impact we have developed a four-step approach to conducting a (Double) Materiality Assessment, adaptable to your needs and level of ambition. Our approach aims to tackle your challenges in a pragmatic and practical way.

1. Prepare
   Define the organisational context, including business model and value chain, and set up a stakeholder engagement strategy.
2. Identify  
   Identify relevant sustainability topics and their related impacts, risks and opportunities.  
3. Assess  
   Assess relevant sustainability topics and their related impacts, risks and opportunities, based on a set of assessment criteria.
4. Prioritise  
   Prioritise topics and the related impacts, risks and opportunities that are material for reporting and strategy.  

Why work with us?

• Extensive experience across sectors: Since 2021, 2impact has delivered 30+ comprehensive (Double) Materiality Assessments, including assisting multiple clients with updating their existing assessments. We have worked with organisations of all sizes, ranging from SMEs to large listed and privately held companies across various sectors, among others, construction, food and agriculture, maritime, ports, distribution, and logistics.
• Hands-on and pragmatic: What sets 2impact apart is our hands-on and pragmatic approach. We work closely with our clients' core teams throughout the process, ensuring that knowledge and ownership are built within the organisation. Rather than delivering a stand-alone exercise, we help strengthen internal capabilities and support the organisation’s long-term sustainability journey.
• Integrated approach: Throughout the process, we link the (Double) Materiality Assessment to your ESG strategy and enterprise risk management, helping you prioritise sustainability topics, strengthen business resilience, and create long-term value.
• Aligned with regulations and market expectations: Our (Double) Materiality Assessment methodology ensures (audit-)readiness for various sustainability reporting standards, including CSRD/ESRS, GRI, VSME, and ISSB. We keep close track of (regulatory) revisions and developments related to sustainability disclosures, ensuring your assessment remains aligned with the latest standards, guidance, and best practices. 

 
Related case studies and blogs

Case studies

• Eurail
• Rederij Groen
• JDE Peet's
• Royal Smit & Zoon

Blogs

• Double Materiality Analysis: Insights from Practice with Robbe
• Maturing the double materiality assessment (DMA)