As the demand for transparent, accessible sustainability reporting skyrockets, the pressure on companies to comply with stringent regulations has never been greater. In this evolving landscape, simply publishing sustainability reports in one language is no longer sufficient. As the first year of reporting under the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) comes to a close, it’s clear that communication in multiple languages is now a critical part of regulatory compliance and corporate responsibility.
For listed companies subject to CSRD requirements, translation plays a critical role in compliance. Missing a required language version or publishing in the wrong one can lead to rejected filings, regulatory delays, or penalties, depending on the country and filing process.
That’s why translation is becoming a core part of both compliance and investor communications.
In this article, you’ll find out why multilingual reporting matters under CSRD, where translation fits into the regulatory picture, and how to build a process that works. Whether you’re closing out your first reporting cycle or planning for the next, now is the time to make translation a working part of your CSRD strategy so you can meet regulatory expectations and maintain credibility in every market where you operate.
How Listed Companies Should Handle Multilingual Sustainability Reporting Under CSRD
The Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) is the EU’s new legal framework for mandatory sustainability reporting. It expands both the number of companies that are required to report and the depth and structure of the disclosures.
Companies it applies to must report on how sustainability issues affect their business, and how their activities impact people, the environment, and the economy. Reports must follow the European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS), a detailed set of technical requirements that are broader and more prescriptive than what many companies have produced in the past.
For now, CSRD applies primarily to large listed companies, specifically those already subject to the former Non-Financial Reporting Directive (NFRD). These companies were required to publish CSRD-aligned reports in 2025, covering the 2024 financial year. Other companies, including non-listed large entities and listed SMEs, are scheduled to follow in later years.
If you’re in one of those upcoming groups, now is the time to start building a strategy that includes where translation fits into your reporting workflow, considering that some Member States may require it.
What CSRD Changes for Reporting and Translation
One of the most important changes under the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) is where your sustainability disclosures now appear: inside the management report, alongside your financials. That one shift makes your report subject to EU company law and financial reporting rules, including how it’s filed, what language it’s published in, and who needs to be able to read it.
Member States can set their own language and translation requirements, which means your company may need to:
- File a national-language version with local authorities
- Provide a certified translation for the company registry
- Offer an additional version, often in English, for investors, regulators, or exchanges in other countries
So, if your company operates in the EU, reporting in more than one language is most likely a necessity.
And the penalties for getting these reports wrong are real. France, for example, can impose fines of up to €18,750 for failing to publish the report as per guidelines. Germany allows fines of up to €10 million, or a percentage of turnover. Other Member States are still finalising enforcement rules, but they’re required to impose penalties that are “effective, proportionate, and dissuasive.”
Why Translation Matters to Investors and Stakeholders
For many companies, though, compliance isn’t the only reason to prioritise multilingual sustainability reporting. Investors and customers across jurisdictions expect clear, accessible, translated disclosures, regardless of whether your company is formally required to report under CSRD this year.
Nearly 70% of investors now expect companies to integrate sustainability into business strategy and communicate that strategy effectively. That includes reporting.
In fact, according to PwC’s 2025 Global Sustainability Reporting Survey, 40% of companies planning to report under CSRD say they’ll follow the original timeline, even if they qualify for a deferral under the EU’s ‘stop the clock’ directive. They understand that these reports have value to their stakeholders, and that providing them is a competitive advantage. Reporting (and translating those reports) now gives your organization a chance to lead on transparency, build credibility with investors, and prepare your workflows before reporting becomes mandatory.
Seven Tips for Building Translation into Your CSRD Reporting Process
Handling CSRD disclosures across languages takes careful coordination, especially when reporting cycles are tight, and requirements vary by country.
These seven tips can help you build a smoother, more reliable translation process, one that supports both compliance and communication.
1. Plan for Translation Early in the Reporting Process
Translation is often treated as a final task after the report is written. But that approach can create delays, errors, and version control issues. Planning for translation from the start helps your team align on timelines, formatting, terminology, and jurisdictional requirements, so you can deliver accurate reports on time in every required language.
2. Know Your Jurisdictional Requirements
Language rules vary across EU Member States, depending on where your company is registered, listed, or filing. Some jurisdictions require certified translations or filings in the official national language. Check early to avoid late-stage surprises.
3. Use Translators with Financial and ESG Expertise
CSRD reporting is both complex and cross-disciplinary. Your disclosures likely cover climate, labor, governance, supply chain, and financial data, all under strict legal and regulatory frameworks. That complexity carries through into translation.
This isn’t work for generalist linguists. It takes translators with proven expertise in ESG, finance, and legal compliance to produce accurate, aligned language across every section of your report. BIG Language Solutions’ understands how to handle technical disclosures clearly and consistently, and we deliver reporting that holds up across jurisdictions and stakeholder groups.
4. Protect Confidential Data with Secure Translation Workflows
CSRD reports are public, but the documents shared during the drafting and translation process may not be. Early versions, supporting data, and internal analysis often include sensitive information. Make sure your translation partner uses secure systems and processes, including encrypted file transfer, role-based access, SOC 2 Type II certification, and ISO 27001-certified infrastructure, to protect your content every step of the way.
5. Coordinate with Legal, Investor Relations, and Sustainability Teams
CSRD disclosures are both regulatory and public-facing, making cross-departmental collaboration essential. Work closely with your legal, investor relations, and sustainability teams to ensure that every language version accurately reflects your official filings and conveys a consistent, transparent message aligned with your sustainability strategy.
6. Build Translation Memory, Glossaries, and Templates for Consistency
CSRD reporting happens every year, and many parts of your report will follow the same structure each time. Working with a translation partner who builds and maintains translation memories, termbases, and reusable templates helps you keep language consistent across versions and reporting cycles. It also speeds up future translations, reduces errors, and supports alignment with updated ESRS requirements over time.
7. Don’t Overlook Format, Layout, and Delivery
CSRD reports may need to be delivered in different formats, such as PDF, XHTML, or structured formats for digital publication. BIG Language Solutions provides layout and desktop publishing support to maintain formatting across all translated versions, so your report stays accessible and visually aligned.
If Translation Isn’t Part of Your Reporting Plan Yet, It Should Be
The expectations for sustainability reporting have changed: CSRD brings tighter standards and closer oversight. Now more than ever, your reports need to stand up to review in every language and market where they’re read.
That means translation can’t be an afterthought. It needs to be built into your workflow, aligned with legal and investor priorities, and handled by teams who understand the demands of regulated reporting.
At BIG Language Solutions, we work with companies navigating exactly this kind of complexity. Our legal, financial, and ESG translation experts help you produce accurate, compliant reports, wherever you operate and whoever you report to.
Contact us to make your reporting clear, compliant, and aligned across every language version.
