UK SRS by the numbers
Ten canonical figures that anchor the UK Sustainability Reporting Standards regime — every figure pinned to a primary source.
The framing on this page sits behind every other reference page on the site.
Methodology and source pinning: every figure on this page is verified against the primary regulator publication.
Figures conventionally cited but not pinned to clearly accessible primary sources (population estimates, jurisdictional adoption counts, practitioner consensus on preparation timelines) are NOT included — these vary over time and across sources.
UK SRS S1 and S2 overview
The UK Sustainability Reporting Standards (UK SRS) consist of two standards: UK SRS S11 establishes the General Requirements for Disclosure of Sustainability-related Financial Information; UK SRS S21 sets out the Climate-related Disclosures specifically.
Both were published by the Department for Business and Trade1 on 25 February 2026 alongside the Government Response to the consultation.2
The relationship between the two standards is fundamental: S1 is the framework; S2 is its first application.
UK SRS S11 establishes the materiality principles, four-pillar architecture, connectivity principle, and disclosure framework that apply to ALL sustainability topics.
UK SRS S21 then applies these principles specifically to climate-related risks and opportunities.
Future topic-specific standards (S3, S4, etc.) — if and when ISSB issues them and the UK adopts — would follow the same pattern, applying S1's framework to additional sustainability themes.
Currently, UK SRS S3 does not exist.
How UK SRS S1 and S2 work together
The two-standard architecture allows entities to start with climate (using UK SRS S21) while building capabilities for broader sustainability reporting under UK SRS S1.1
Three coordination mechanisms operate between the standards:
- Materiality framework — both use the same financial materiality threshold
- Four-pillar architecture — Governance, Strategy, Risk Management, Metrics & Targets
- Connectivity principle — sustainability disclosures connected to financial statements
Under FCA CP26/53, in-scope listed companies disclose information about their climate-related risks and opportunities in accordance with UK SRS S2 and must apply the specific provisions in UK SRS S1 as relevant to those climate-related disclosures.
S2 (excluding Scope 3 emissions) is proposed mandatory from 1 January 2027; broader UK SRS S1 application is on a comply-or-explain basis from 1 January 2029.
Sequencing — start with S2, build to S1
For most UK entities approaching UK SRS, the practical sequencing is to start with UK SRS S2 (climate)1 and build capability over time for broader UK SRS S1 (general sustainability)1 coverage.
Reasons for this sequencing:
- TCFD continuity — existing disclosure overlaps with UK SRS S2
- Mandatory timeline — S2 from 2027, S1 comply-or-explain from 2029
- Climate materiality — typically passes financial threshold for most companies
- Data infrastructure — climate emissions data more mature
- Assurance availability — practitioner experience greater on climate
TCFD four pillars
The foundational structure shared by UK SRS S1 and S2
UK sustainability reporting standards framework
UK SRS inherits the TCFD architecture and extends it across all material sustainability topics through four disclosure pillars.
Four-pillar architecture across both standards
UK SRS S11 and UK SRS S21 share the TCFD four-pillar architecture7.
The table summarises how each standard applies the pillars:
| Pillar | UK SRS S1 | UK SRS S2 |
|---|---|---|
| Governance | Oversight of sustainability-related risks and opportunities (paragraphs 5-7) | Climate-specific governance arrangements (paragraphs 5-8) |
| Strategy | Impact on business model and value chain (paragraphs 8-22) | Climate risks and opportunities in strategy, scenario analysis, transition plans (paragraphs 9-22) |
| Risk Management | Process for identifying and assessing sustainability risks (paragraphs 23-28) | Climate risk management integration (paragraphs 23-28) |
| Metrics and Targets | Performance measurement and progress monitoring (paragraphs 29-44) | Climate metrics including GHG emissions, cross-industry metrics, climate-related targets (paragraphs 29-37) |
Each pillar requires disclosure of current state and forward-looking information1, with quantitative metrics where possible and qualitative explanation where quantification is not yet feasible.
The connectivity principle1 requires that the disclosures align with financial statement timing, scope, and recognition principles.
For detailed coverage of each pillar across both standards, see UK SRS Four Pillars.
For the individual standards, see UK SRS S1 Materiality and UK SRS S2 Deep Dive.
For a comprehensive overview of all ESG reporting requirements UK, including how UK SRS fits with SECR and ESOS, see our complete guide.
The seven cross-industry climate metrics
UK SRS S2 paragraph 291 sets out seven cross-industry metrics every in-scope entity discloses, regardless of sector — the Metrics and Targets pillar's core content.
Sector-specific metrics under the Industry-based Guidance sit alongside these, but the seven below are the baseline every S2 report must address.
The GHG emissions metric (a) is the one most reporters already track through SECR or voluntary GHG Protocol reporting.
Metrics (b)-(d) — the vulnerability and alignment percentages — are typically the most demanding to produce for the first time, since they require an asset- or activity-level view of exposure rather than an entity-level total.
For the Scope 3 breakdown specifically, see Scope 3 under UK SRS.
Scenario analysis and transition plans
Two Strategy-pillar requirements under UK SRS S2 go beyond what TCFD asked for: climate-related scenario analysis1 and transition plan disclosure1.
Scenario analysis — paragraph 22
Paragraph 221 requires entities to use climate-related scenario analysis to assess the resilience of their strategy and business model to climate-related risks and opportunities.
Transition plan disclosure — paragraph 14
UK SRS S2 does not require an entity to have a climate transition plan.
Where one exists, paragraph 14(a)(iv)1 requires the entity to disclose it — including the key assumptions used in developing it, and the dependencies its transition plan relies on.
This is consistent with the FCA's position under CP26/53: the FCA does not propose to mandate transition plans — that is a matter for Government — but does require in-scope companies to disclose whether and where they have published one, or their reason for not doing so.
The IFRS Foundation's educational material, incorporating the former Transition Plan Taskforce framework, is the suggested reference point for companies producing one.
For dedicated coverage, see Transition plans under UK SRS and Climate scenario analysis under UK SRS.
SASB guidance 'shall' → 'may'
Industry-based metrics encouraged but not mandatory
Effective dates removed
Set by FCA/MCR implementation not in standards
Compliance statement provisions
Additional disclosure when reliefs applied
Delayed reporting removed
Must publish with financial statements
Paragraph B59A added
Financed emissions flexibility for financial institutions
ISSB Dec 2025 amendments
Latest international changes incorporated
Six UK amendments to IFRS S1 and S2
The UK SRS1 retains close alignment with IFRS S14 and IFRS S25 with six specific UK amendments — verified against the Government Response to the UK SRS Consultation2 and Linklaters' analysis11.
Amendment 1 — SASB Industry-based Guidance: "shall" → "may"
Paragraphs 12, 23, and 32 of IFRS S25 state that entities "shall refer to and consider" the applicability of the Industry-based Guidance on Implementing IFRS S2 (the SASB Industry-based Guidance).
In each corresponding paragraph of UK SRS S21, "shall" has been amended to "may"2.
Practical effect2: S2 entities are expected to disclose industry-relevant metrics but are NOT required to use the SASB-based guidance specifically.
The amendment provides flexibility for UK entities to use alternative industry-relevant metrics where appropriate.
Amendment 2 — Removal of effective dates and time references
UK SRS S11 and UK SRS S21 do not contain effective date provisions.
Time references for temporary reliefs have also been removed11.
Rationale and effect2:
- Effective dates will be set when mandatory reporting requirements are introduced — via FCA Listing Rules [3] for listed entities; via Companies Act 2006 [14] amendments under MCR Strand 2 [2] for private entities
- Standards are available for voluntary use immediately without effective-date complications
- Time references for temporary reliefs (non-climate reporting relief, Scope 3 relief) have been removed; the standards no longer specify duration of relief application
- Reliefs may be re-introduced with specific durations when mandatory reporting requirements are introduced
Amendment 3 — Compliance statement provisions
UK SRS S11 includes provisions limiting the ability to make compliance statements OR requiring that additional information is included in compliance statements when an entity is relying on reliefs11.
The amendments affect paragraphs E3, E4 and 73A of UK SRS S12:
- Paragraph E3 — relief for non-climate reporting (allowing entities to focus on climate disclosure in initial reporting)
- Paragraph E4 — comparative information requirements; paragraph E4(b) amended specifically to require comparative information only in the second annual reporting period in which the relief no longer applies
- Paragraph 73A — the compliance statement itself: an entity relying on the paragraph E3 relief may not assert compliance with UK SRS S1 and must disclose its use of the provision instead
Practical effect: entities relying on reliefs must provide additional disclosure about which reliefs are being applied; entities not relying on reliefs may make full compliance statements with UK SRS1.
Amendment 4 — Removal of delayed sustainability reporting relief
UK SRS1 removes the IFRS S14 ability for entities to report sustainability disclosures AFTER they have published their financial statements.
Sustainability disclosure must be published WITH the financial statements11.
Rationale2:
- Connectivity principle — sustainability disclosure connectivity with financial statements requires same-time publication
- Existing UK climate-related financial disclosure requirements under Companies Act 2006 section 414CB [14] already require same-time publication with the annual report
- TCFD disclosure under existing FCA Listing Rules [9] (LR 9.8, to be replaced) requires publication with the annual financial report
- UK entities are well-positioned for same-time publication given existing reporting infrastructure
This amendment strengthens the connectivity principle and aligns UK SRS1 with existing UK reporting practice.
Amendment 5 — Paragraph B59A (financed emissions reporting flexibility)
UK SRS S21 includes a new paragraph B59A that allows financial institutions to report financed emissions from a DIFFERENT reporting period than the entity's own emissions, provided that additional disclosures are made11.
Practical effect2:
- Recognises the inherent data lag in financed emissions calculation — financial institutions typically receive investee/borrower emissions data 12-18 months after the relevant period
- Allows reporting of financed emissions data lagged by one reporting period without the entity being non-compliant
- Additional disclosures required: specifically about the time lag, the reporting period covered, and methodology used
- Practical accommodation that maintains substantive disclosure while reflecting data availability constraints
This amendment is particularly relevant for banks, insurers, asset managers, and other financial institutions in scope of S21.
See UK SRS for Financial Services for sector-specific coverage.
Amendment 6 — Incorporation of ISSB December 2025 IFRS S2 amendments
The ISSB published targeted amendments to IFRS S26 in December 2025.
UK SRS S21 incorporates these amendments (except the effective date and transition provisions, which are not relevant given UK SRS's own structure under Amendment 2)2.
The ISSB December 2025 amendments6 cover four targeted topics:
- Allowing an entity to limit the measurement of Category 15 Scope 3 GHG emissions to only "financed emissions" (a narrower scope than the general Category 15 definition)
- Permitting an entity to select an industry-classification system for disaggregating financed emissions (alternative to the IFRS-prescribed approach)
- Expanding the jurisdictional relief from using the GHG Protocol Corporate Standard — applies if an entity (in whole or in part) is required to use a different method for measuring GHG emissions
- Introducing a new jurisdictional relief allowing an entity to use global warming potential (GWP) values other than the values currently required by the GHG Protocol
The UK Sustainability Disclosure Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) reviewed the ISSB amendments in January 2026 and recommended their inclusion in UK SRS S22.
The TAC's written recommendations were sent to DBT on 26 January 2026; the standard incorporates them accordingly.
For detailed comparison of UK SRS and IFRS S1/S2 including these amendments, see UK SRS vs IFRS S1/S2.
Mandatory timeline
UK SRS S1 and S21 are available for voluntary use immediately from 25 February 2026.
The path to proposed mandatory application:
From consultation to compliance
The path from DBT standards to mandatory reporting.
Each milestone links to its primary source.
- 30 January 2026 — FCA published CP26/5 [3]
- 20 March 2026 — CP26/5 consultation closed (209 responses received)
- Autumn 2026 — FCA Policy Statement expected, finalising UK Listing Rules [9]
- 1 January 2027 — UK SRS S2 proposed mandatory for UKLR 6/14/15/16/22 (excluding Scope 3); UKLR 14/15 subject to flexible disclose-home-jurisdiction approach
- 1 January 2028 — Scope 3 emissions disclosure becomes comply-or-explain (subject to deferral availability)
- 1 January 2029 — UK SRS S1 comply-or-explain (broader sustainability topics)
- 2026-2028 (anticipated) — MCR Strand 2 consultation [2] and possible Companies Act 2006 [14] amendments to extend application to economically significant private companies
The two-track timeline — FCA-led for listed companies; DBT-led for private companies — means UK SRS1 mandatoriness expands progressively over multiple years rather than at a single effective date.
See UK SRS Timeline for detailed coverage.
UK SRS S2 readiness pathway
Gap analysis
- Map TCFD to S2
- Assess data gaps
- Review governance
Data infrastructure
- Scope 1/2 systems
- Scope 3 methodology
- Scenario analysis tools
Dry run
- Draft disclosures
- Board review
- Assurance readiness
First reporting
- Collect FY2027 data
- Prepare disclosures
- Publish with annual report
