On August 30, 2023, the CSSB responded to the ISSB Request for Information, Consultation on Agenda Priorities, following four months of engagement with Canadian individuals and groups. Our outreach encompassed a diverse range of interested and affected parties, including investors, preparers, consultants, enablers, public sector organizations, not-for-profit groups, advocacy groups, public interest organizations, and Indigenous Peoples.
In addition to detailed responses to select questions, the CSSB highlights three key messages from our market outreach:
- Our consultation revealed strong support for the implementation of ISSB Standards as a top priority. The ISSB is encouraged to provide interpretive guidance and examples, address implementation and application challenges, and actively pursue interoperability with other jurisdictions in order to ensure successful implementation of the ISSB Standards.
- Future sustainability reporting matters should be assessed from a strategic perspective. Such an approach should be principle-based and prioritize urgency and wider reach over ease or time-to-market, in addition to other considerations detailed in our response letter.
- Stakeholders emphasized the need to safeguard Indigenous rights as a human rights subtopic. These rights are enshrined in the Canadian Constitution and international treaties, and we received the message that recognition of these rights is crucial for combating the urgent climate crisis.
Read our letter for more detailed responses to each question posed.