Prepare a draft ESG report and reporting workplan for [COMPANY PROFILE] for the reporting period [REPORTING PERIOD]. Use [REPORTING FRAMEWORKS] as the requested disclosure basis and rely only on [AVAILABLE EVIDENCE]. The intended readers are [AUDIENCE]. First, create a concise report draft with these sections: reporting boundary and period; governance and accountability; material topics and stakeholder process; environmental; social; governance; metrics and methodology; goals and progress; and forward-looking priorities. For every metric, state the unit, reporting boundary, period, methodology, and comparison period where the evidence permits. Separate policies, actions, outputs, and outcomes; they are not interchangeable. For climate information, do not imply a Scope 1, 2, or 3 inventory exists unless the evidence supports it. For targets, state the baseline, target year, scope, and whether it is validated or internally set. Do not describe a program as effective without outcome evidence.
Then create a disclosure workplan table with: missing disclosure or data point, why it matters, named internal owner role, source system or evidence needed, collection steps, review/approval step, and target date. Include a materiality and stakeholder-engagement method only if supplied; otherwise mark it as a gap. Output 800-1,200 words for the report draft, followed by the workplan table and a short “claims requiring legal, sustainability, or assurance review” list. Before answering, check every factual statement against the evidence and label missing, estimated, or unverified information. Check that framework references are not claimed as compliance unless the supplied evidence establishes it. Ask up to 3 clarifying questions only if a required input is missing.
Fill in
| Placeholder | What to enter | Example |
|---|---|---|
| [COMPANY PROFILE] | Provide the company’s industry, size, operating locations, business model, and reporting boundary. | Harbor Packaging, a 420-person U.S. manufacturer of corrugated packaging with plants in Ohio and Tennessee; report covers wholly owned operations. |
| [REPORTING PERIOD] | State the fiscal year or other period covered by the report. | Fiscal year ended December 31, 2025. |
| [REPORTING FRAMEWORKS] | List the reporting frameworks, customer requests, or regulatory disclosure requirements you are working toward. | Customer sustainability questionnaires and a voluntary report informed by GRI; do not claim formal GRI compliance. |
| [AVAILABLE EVIDENCE] | Paste verified metrics, policies, governance details, program records, targets, and known data gaps. | 2025 electricity use: 18,400 MWh from utility invoices; natural gas: 1.2 million therms; waste sent to landfill: 1,140 tons; 76% of fiber purchased had FSC chain-of-custody documentation. Safety: TRIR 1.8, 1 recordable lost-time injury. Code of Conduct revised in March 2025; annual employee acknowledgement 96%. No Scope 3 inventory, supplier human-rights audit, or formal materiality assessment. COO chairs a quarterly operations review. |
| [AUDIENCE] | Name the readers, such as investors, customers, employees, lenders, or a board committee. | Large consumer-goods customers and the company’s lenders. |
How to use
- Paste verified source material, including what is absent or estimated; do not paste marketing claims as evidence.
- Read the metrics section for boundaries, units, baselines, and methodology before circulating a draft.
- Assign each workplan row to a real accountable role and set dates that fit the reporting calendar.
- Follow up with: “Convert the workplan into a monthly close calendar, identifying dependencies on Finance, HR, EHS, Procurement, and Legal.”
Variations
Data-gap register
Use this before drafting when you need to establish what evidence is missing.
Build an ESG data-gap register for [COMPANY] against [DISCLOSURE REQUIREMENTS], using [CURRENT DATA INVENTORY]. Create a table with requirement, exact data point or narrative needed, current status, evidence owner, source system, reporting boundary, calculation or documentation needed, risk of omission, and target collection date. Do not infer compliance from a policy title. Mark each item as available, partial, missing, or requires validation. End with the five gaps most likely to delay [REPORTING DEADLINE]. Ask up to 3 questions only for missing required inputs.
Board ESG update
Use this for a decision-oriented update rather than a public-facing report.
Draft a 2-page board ESG update for [COMPANY] using [VERIFIED INFORMATION] and [DECISIONS NEEDED]. Include: key period performance, material risks and opportunities, regulatory or customer requests, target status, data-quality limitations, and specific decisions requested from the board. Use neutral language and distinguish verified results from management estimates. Provide a one-page appendix table of metrics with units, period, prior-period comparison, and boundary. Flag statements needing counsel, assurance, or technical review.
Supplier questionnaire
Use this when a customer has asked for ESG information in a fixed questionnaire format.
Answer the ESG supplier questionnaire in [QUESTIONNAIRE] using only [COMPANY EVIDENCE]. For each question, provide a direct answer, the supporting document or metric, reporting period, boundary, and a concise limitation where relevant. If the company has no evidence, write “Not currently tracked” and propose a truthful next step without promising a date unless supplied in [COMMITTED TIMELINES]. Preserve the questionnaire order. Before answering, flag claims that need Legal or sustainability-owner approval.
Tips
- Set the reporting boundary before gathering data. A metric covering two plants cannot be compared cleanly with a company-wide target unless the difference is disclosed.
- Keep raw evidence, calculation files, and approvals behind every published number; a polished narrative does not substitute for an audit trail.
- Treat policy adoption, training completion, operational output, and real-world outcome as separate evidence categories.
- Use framework mapping as a coverage tool, not a license to state compliance; formal compliance and assurance require their own review.
FAQ
Can AI write an ESG report from a few company notes?
It can structure a draft and identify missing evidence, but it should not fill data gaps or claim outcomes. The responsible sustainability, finance, legal, and assurance teams still need to validate disclosures.
What should be in an ESG metric footnote?
Include the unit, period, organizational boundary, calculation method or source, and material limitations. Add a restatement explanation when methodology changes.
Do we need a materiality assessment?
Requirements vary by audience and jurisdiction. If one was not performed, do not imply it was; record the gap and get appropriate sustainability or legal guidance.