Master Sustainability Reporting Frameworks: Essential Insights for Property Managers
From GRESB and CDP to GRI and more – here's your essential guide to sustainability reporting frameworks, using combinations of them and how to streamline your sustainability reporting in SA
Streamlining your sustainability reporting?
We've already shown there's a dire need for better sustainability reporting in South Africa in our earlier analysis of the hidden costs of sustainability reporting. This level of reporting remains relatively immature, spreadsheet-heavy and legally risky for boards in SA.
But there's a big chance it could become mandatory soon.
That's why this post cuts through the noise and explains the major sustainability reporting frameworks in plain language, how they differ, which combinations South African portfolios actually use, where teams get stuck and how to streamline the whole process.
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Let's start by unpacking all the most common frameworks…
The Most Common Sustainability Reporting Frameworks in SA
Typical Pitfalls by Framework:
- GRESB: Evidence gaps, like-for-like errors, unclear asset boundaries
- CDP: Scope 3 completeness, emission-factor mapping, weak governance narrative
- GRI: Materiality mismatch, inconsistent metrics vs investor filings
- ISSB: Weak mapping from ops data to financial materiality, inconsistency with financials
- TCFD: Superficial scenarios, few quantified metrics, not linked to capex planning
The Framework Combinations Most Portfolios Use
Most portfolios don't pick one framework. They build a stack that fits their assets, investor questions and risk profile across sustainability reporting frameworks.
Office towers and corporate campuses
For example, would opt for the practical mix of GRESB + CDP, with TCFD to brief the board on climate risk and ISSB if you report to markets. GRESB gives the real estate benchmark. CDP proves credible carbon data and a transition plan.
Retail malls and shopping centres
GRESB + GRI is the usual path. GRESB keeps you comparable. GRI tells a clear public story on energy, water and waste. If lenders push on emissions, layer in CDP.
Data centres
Energy intensity is the story. Use GRESB + CDP + TCFD, and add ISSB if listed. GRESB benchmarks performance. CDP covers detailed Scope 1–3. TCFD frames risk to uptime and cooling.
Where Teams Get Stuck With Sustainability Reporting
If you feel overwhelmed, you are not alone.
Data Collection & Consolidation
Utility, meter, tenant, HR and maintenance data live in different places and formats
Metric Definitions
"Like-for-like" consumption and Scope 3 mapping create confusion across frameworks
Formatting & Duplication
The same facts get keyed into multiple templates with different structures
Keeping Up With Changes
Annual updates can break last year's approach
The result: Rework, inconsistencies and reporting seasons that swallow entire quarters.
How To Streamline Sustainability Reporting
Centralise Your Data Once
Create one master dataset for energy, water, waste and carbon across the portfolio, then feed every framework from that source. Define a simple data dictionary with field names, units and frequency so sites do not guess. Store meter reads, utility bills and tenant allocations in the same place, tagged by building and period. When you centralise first, you stop duplicate entry and cut most reconciliation work before it starts. This is the single biggest lever for taming sustainability reporting frameworks.
Map Overlaps Early
Build a crosswalk that shows which metrics appear in multiple frameworks, then collect them once. For example, Scope 1–3 emissions flow into CDP and often underpin GRESB, while like-for-like consumption supports GRESB and internal performance tracking. Mark each field with "owner," "source system" and "where used" so teams know why the number matters. Mapping overlaps early prevents the common trap of re-keying the same facts into three templates with slightly different labels.
Automate What You Can
Automate utility and meter data where possible. Pull reads from AMI meters, BMS exports or supplier portals, then run basic validations—unit checks, outlier flags, period completeness—before numbers hit your master dataset. Normalise units and time granularity at ingestion so month-end is not a scramble. Even lightweight automation reduces manual effort and makes sustainability reporting frameworks less of a seasonal panic.
Reuse Narratives And Evidence
Create a small library for policies, certifications and recurring narrative answers. Tag each item to the sections it supports in GRESB, CDP and GRI, then reuse and update annually. Keep certificate expiry dates, audit reports and building accreditations in the same library so evidence is one click away during submissions. Reuse turns reporting from blank-page writing into controlled updates.
Align Finance And Sustainability
Use ISSB-style, investor-oriented metrics to bridge sustainability and finance. Tie intensity measures and risk disclosures to the same assumptions used in financial statements. Set a simple monthly sign-off where finance and sustainability agree on totals and drivers so numbers match across annual reports and sustainability reporting frameworks. Alignment removes credibility gaps that spook boards and investors.
Use Version Control And Audit Trails
Track edits, comments and approvals in one workspace. Keep a changelog for key figures, show who changed what and when, and capture assumptions next to the data. When assurance time comes, you can hand auditors a clean trail instead of forwarding email chains. Clear audit trails reduce rework and speed external reviews.
Or Let Intelligence Do It For You
Instead of wrestling with data dictionaries, crosswalks and version control, you can use intelligence platforms, like HYDRA, to do the heavy lifting. These platforms ingest utility and meter data, map overlaps across frameworks, flag gaps, and auto-generate submission-ready reports. That means no more juggling spreadsheets or chasing tenant files. You get consistent, assured numbers and more time to focus on strategy, retrofits and performance.
Sustainability Reporting in Action: How One Manager Fixed The Chaos
Jean, a property manager overseeing a 35-building South African portfolio, once spent nearly three months every year wrestling with sustainability reporting. Data was scattered across fragmented meters and tenant files, arriving late, in inconsistent units, and often missing key evidence. CDP numbers clashed with GRESB submissions, and costly consultants had to be brought in to reconcile the mess.
By centralising utility data, mapping overlaps across GRESB, CDP and GRI, and reusing narratives and evidence intelligently, Jane cut her reporting cycle from three months to three weeks. Data gaps were flagged early, submissions stayed consistent, and investor confidence grew. That freed her up for what really matters: targeting the worst-performing assets for retrofits and unlocking real performance gains across the portfolio.
BONUS: Simplify EPC Compliance
By 7 December 2025, qualifying non-residential buildings in South Africa must display an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC), with penalties up to R5m or 5 years' imprisonment for non-compliance.
Our free Easy EPC tool takes the pain out of the process. In 10 guided steps you upload your data, get a preliminary score, and generate a SANAS-ready pack to send to an inspector. You can also use it to benchmark any building, even if certification isn't required.
ESG bonus: The same EPC dataset strengthens your CDP, GRESB, and GRI disclosures. One dataset, many uses.
