Issuers & project teams
Organise the evidence record and strengthen incomplete sustainability or transition claims.
Sustainable Intelligence ASBL · Specialist support
Sustainable Finance and Evidence Readiness
Connect sustainability and transition claims with traceable evidence, meaningful KPIs and clear reporting boundaries.
At a glance
- Who it is for
- Organisations of any size or sector preparing or assessing sustainability and transition evidence for financing, investment or reporting decisions.
- Format
- Individualised · Agreed after scoping
- Delivery
- Primarily online, English; other formats agreed at scoping
- Fees
- Fixed-fee packages; quotation provided after scoping. Terms reflect the project or instrument, evidence scope and information needs.
- Delivery team
- Led by the ASBL’s research lead, with specialist input in sustainable finance and evidence analysis arranged according to the agreed scope. Relevant expert profiles shared on request.
Overview
How well are sustainability and transition claims supported for financing and reporting discussions?
Examine the evidence behind sustainability and transition claims in the context of the project, instrument and information need. The engagement can cover environmental and social outcomes, transition plans, KPIs and progress reporting.
Public sustainable-finance references, including the ICMA Principles and related guidance, may inform the work where appropriate to the instrument and purpose. For SME sustainability information requested by customers, banks or investors, VSME may be a useful reference; it is not a bond standard or an assurance opinion.
Banks & underwriters
Examine the quality and traceability of information supporting the financing discussion.
Investors & portfolio teams
Understand what the evidence supports, comparability limits and unresolved questions.
Industry 5.0 can add perspectives on human experience, resilience, responsible innovation and accountability where useful. Adopting Industry 5.0 is not a prerequisite for this service.
ICMA Principles Observer participation connects Sustainable Intelligence with sustainable-finance practice, including transparency, disclosure and the evidence supporting environmental and social claims.
How it works
Examine the evidence behind financing and transition claims.
- 01
Scope the financing or reporting context.
Identify the organisation, project or instrument, the intended users of the analysis, the claim boundary and confidentiality needs.
- 02
Review claims and KPIs.
Examine baseline information, calculation methods, data sources, responsible owners and limits to the evidence.
- 03
Consider relevant references.
Relate the evidence to agreed reporting and sustainable-finance references; retain the exact editions and scope.
- 04
Strengthen the evidence record.
Prioritise improvements, information ownership and follow-up reporting needs.
Practical outputs
A traceable record of claims, KPIs and evidence gaps.
Connect claims with their baselines, data sources and reporting boundaries, and identify what needs strengthening before further reliance.
- 01Sustainability / transition claims-and-evidence register
- 02KPI, baseline and data-source review
- 03Agreed framework-reference map
- 04Evidence-improvement and reporting-readiness plan
Illustrative transition-evidence excerpt
Illustrative output — not a client case study.
On smaller screens, scroll the table horizontally to read all columns.
| Claim or KPI | Evidence question | Readiness action |
|---|---|---|
| A proposed efficiency investment is expected to reduce energy demand | Is the baseline representative, and are expected benefits separated from observed results? | Record the baseline period, assumptions and measurement plan |
| A transition milestone is linked to operational changes | Is there an accountable owner and a dated implementation record? | Define the owner, review point and required progress evidence |
| Reported progress will be used in financing discussions | Can the underlying sources and calculation method be traced? | Prepare a source register and state calculation boundaries and uncertainties |
Sample deliverables and the proposed approach can be discussed during scoping.
Engagement & scope
Scope your financing evidence needs.
Agree the project or instrument, intended use, information access, confidentiality and delivery period before work begins. The evidence record and any follow-up are scoped to the financing or reporting question.
Evidence preparation and analytical support. Evidence assessment only; no score, grade or rating is issued under this service. Regulated investment advice, statutory assurance, certification and a formal bond second-party opinion are not included in this service. Any additional engagement requires a separate scope and appropriate capacity.
Service provider: Sustainable Intelligence ASBL, Belgium.
What to prepare
- The project, instrument or portfolio and its intended use.
- The sustainability or transition claims and the evidence behind them.
- The frameworks or principles you refer to, such as the ICMA Principles.
- The delivery period and any confidentiality requirements.
Questions
Do you issue a score, grade or rating?
No. This service is evidence assessment only; no score, grade or rating is issued under it.
Is this a second-party opinion?
No. Regulated investment advice, statutory assurance, certification and a formal bond second-party opinion are not included.
Does using this service influence an assessment or rating?
Using this service does not influence the outcome of any assessment or rating.