Toward Social Disclosure Alignment: Evaluating the Interoperability of ISSB S2 with ESRS and GRI Standards

Péter Molnár (), Bence Lukács and Árpád Tóth
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Péter Molnár: Doctoral School of Regional and Economic Sciences, Széchenyi István University, 9026 Gyor, Hungary
Bence Lukács: Doctoral School of Regional and Economic Sciences, Széchenyi István University, 9026 Gyor, Hungary
Árpád Tóth: Kautz Gyula Faculty of Economics, Statistic, Finance and Controlling Department, Széchenyi István University, 9026 Gyor, Hungary

Societies, 2025, vol. 15, issue 10, 1-14

Abstract: The evolution of sustainability reporting has led to an increased emphasis on environmental disclosures, often at the expense of social and governance dimensions. While frameworks such as the International Sustainability Standards Board’s (ISSB) IFRS S2 standard offer important advances in climate-related transparency, they insufficiently address the broader social aspects of corporate sustainability performance. In response to this gap, this study investigates the interoperability of social disclosures across three major frameworks: ISSB S2, the European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS), and the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) standards. Using a structured interoperability index, we systematically map and score the degree of thematic and structural alignment between these standards, focusing specifically on social disclosure topics. The analysis reveals moderate interoperability between ESRS and GRI social disclosures, but far lower alignment between ISSB S2 and either ESRS or GRI, confirming the ongoing underrepresentation of the social pillar within the ISSB framework. Connectivity ratios remain below 6% across all matrices, underscoring persistent fragmentation in global ESG reporting standards. These findings highlight the need for regulatory bodies and standard setters to advance harmonization efforts that equally prioritize environmental, social, and governance dimensions. By foregrounding the interoperability gaps in social disclosures, this study contributes to the academic debate on ESG convergence and informs policy discussions on developing multidimensional, stakeholder-responsive reporting architectures.

Keywords: ESG; sustainability reporting interoperability; ESG standards alignment; social sustainability disclosures; corporate non-financial reporting; global ESG framework comparison (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: A13 A14 P P0 P1 P2 P3 P4 P5 Z1 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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