Morning, Thursday, 16th July 2026
Online
This conference will examine priorities for the UK’s non‑financial reporting framework.
Sessions will discuss key issues moving forward following the Government’s UK Sustainability Reporting Standards information published in February 2026 for voluntary use, also looking ahead to the expected consultation later this year on changes to the Companies Act 2006 to mandate the application of UK SRS for large UK businesses, with ongoing work by the Department for Business and Trade on modernising the corporate reporting regime. Approaches to mandatory ethnicity and disability pay gap reporting will also be discussed, with draft clauses of the proposed Equality (Race and Disability) Bill published in March 2026.
The agenda will consider next steps for implementation following completion of the UK endorsement process and targeted amendments made to align UK SRS with domestic requirements, with concerns from some around operability, cost, and the need for clarity on future mandatory timelines.
Key issues for practical implementation & interoperability
The conference will bring stakeholders and policymakers together to consider the way forward for implementation of UK SRS S1 and S2, considering early practical experience from voluntary adoption, and potential approaches to mandatory adoption as the Government prepares to consult on scope and timing.
As the Financial Conduct Authority considers responses to the consultation on sustainability disclosure requirements for listed issuers, delegates will assess how UK SRS will sit alongside the Companies Act and UK Listing Rules, looking at co-ordination of these frameworks as reporting requirements develop.
Practical implementation issues will be discussed, such as materiality assessment, data collection, internal controls, and digital reporting. Attendees will also explore implications for firms operating across multiple jurisdictions, including the interoperability of UK SRS with EU corporate sustainability reporting and other global regimes, and opportunities for reducing duplication.
Sustainability assurance regime
Sessions will also examine next steps for the UK’s sustainability assurance and environmental, social and governance ratings system, following the Government’s January 2026 response confirming a voluntary registration regime for sustainability assurance practitioners, operated by the Financial Reporting Council.
Attendees will consider how the regime can most effectively support market confidence, address concerns about greenwashing, and promote competition and capacity in the assurance market. Standards and competencies required for high-quality assurance will also be considered, including initial voluntary uptake of the International Standard on Sustainability Assurance (UK) 5000 standard issued by the FRC in November 2025, the role of digital tools and data analytics, and how assurance and ratings can better support investor decision-making and stewardship.
Stakeholder concerns around the potential cost of assurance and the need for clarity on future mandatory requirements will be explored, looking at strategic approaches for developing a diverse and well-resourced assurance market as demand grows.
Pay gap reporting & workforce-related disclosures
The future for social and workforce-related disclosures will also be discussed, including forthcoming mandatory ethnicity and disability pay gap reporting and compulsory action plans to address gender pay gaps and support employees experiencing menopause.
Delegates will assess approaches to framework design that effectively supports meaningful organisational change, the support needed for employers of varying sizes, and priorities for enforcement through the Equality and Human Rights Commission. They will also assess implications for employers in the context of policy aims to simplify corporate reporting, including an optimal balance of transparency with proportionality - particularly for mid-sized companies and those with complex workforce structures.
Overview of areas for discussion
- implementation of UK SRS:
- preparing for transition to UK SRS S1 and S2 - implications for listed and unlisted companies
- interaction with existing Companies Act and FCA consultation on listed issuers’ sustainability disclosure requirements
- consultation on mandatory application of UK SRS - scope, timing and proportionality
- assurance and oversight:
- voluntary oversight regime for sustainability assurance practitioners - registration, quality and independence
- building capacity and competition in the assurance market - skills, standards and innovation
- role of assurance and ESG ratings in addressing greenwashing and supporting investor confidence
- governance and organisational readiness:
- board-level responsibilities for sustainability and non‑financial reporting - reskilling finance, risk, and sustainability teams
- embedding sustainability into strategy, remuneration and risk management
- SMEs, supply chains and proportionality:
- indirect impacts on SMEs through supply-chain data requests - standardisation and support
- tools and guidance to support smaller entities in data collection and reporting
- investor needs:
- ensuring comparable sustainability information for investors
- alignment between corporate reporting and Sustainability Disclosure Requirements for financial products
- social and workforce‑related reporting:
- potential new mandatory ethnicity and disability pay gap reporting - metrics, transparency and action planning
- using workforce data to support organisational change and accountability
All delegates will be able to contribute to the output of the conference, which will be shared with parliamentary, ministerial, departmental and regulatory offices, and more widely. This includes the full proceedings and additional articles submitted by delegates. As well as key stakeholders, those already due to attend include officials from the Department for Business and Trade; Department of Health and Social Care; Department for Energy Security and Net Zero; National Audit Office; Department for the Economy, NI; and The Scottish Government
