Sustainability Report of the German Press Agency (dpa)

The challenge at dpa

Starting in 2025, dpa will be subject to the EU Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) and thus required to publish sustainability reports. However, the company chose to take a proactive approach by preparing its first report in advance—aiming to gain experience, build internal processes, and foster a shared awareness of sustainability. Stakeholders were to be involved early on and kept informed about dpa’s sustainability efforts.

Even with its first report, the company set high standards for itself: dpa did not want to simply document the status quo but also begin implementing concrete sustainability measures in the first reporting year.

In addition, the agency aimed to produce a detailed carbon footprint to provide a transparent overview of its current emissions. From the start, the CO₂ calculation was to include all three scopes. Due to extensive research travel and events outside of Europe, dpa anticipated significant emissions in Scope 3 (indirect emissions from the value chain). While many companies initially limit their carbon footprint to Scopes 1 and 2, dpa chose to tackle the full Scope 3 challenge head-on—and succeeded.

The solution

With VERSO, dpa found the ideal partner to focus on its sustainability strategy and the implementation of initial measures. The ESG software enabled efficient data collection aligned with the GRI framework and provided a clear and well-structured data foundation. Individual structures and processes were defined, and the key GRI standards were integrated into the workflow.

Using VERSO’s Climate Hub, dpa and UNO INO calculated the company’s first carbon footprint in accordance with the GHG Protocol, covering Scopes 1, 2, and 3. All relevant emissions were centrally gathered, verified, and clearly visualized.

The VERSO ESG Hub served not only as a “single source of truth” for all ESG-related data—it was also the platform used to draft and publish the sustainability report. The report, created in collaboration with UNO INO, was exported as a PDF in dpa’s corporate design and embedded on the company’s website. In addition, a dedicated web version of the report was generated directly from the ESG software and published online—without the need for an external agency, designer, or complex layout work.

Alongside UNO INO’s consulting, the VERSO team provided ongoing support, adapted the software to dpa’s specific needs, and implemented custom requirements—making VERSO a true partner throughout the process.

The result

The result is a high-quality sustainability report that now serves as the foundation for dpa’s sustainability management. It clearly and compellingly illustrates where the company currently stands on sustainability, what it aims to implement, and what it seeks to achieve.

Thanks to the integrated GRI guidance, incorrect or missing data could be avoided. The user-friendly interface and centralized data collection ensured a highly effective and efficient reporting process. The report is now accessible to readers in various formats, helping to create transparency and raise awareness of sustainability across the organization.

When presented, the report impressed the entire leadership team with its well-executed design, strong content, and precise data collection.

The greatest advantage for dpa’s sustainability team: the optimized reporting process allowed them to focus on what truly matters—the sustainable transformation itself, including setting targets and implementing and refining measures.