A Fortune 500 coatings and specialty materials manufacturer operating in 70+ countries engaged BWD to develop a process for keeping its double materiality assessment current.

The company had completed its initial assessment in 2022 and subsequently aligned it with ESRS requirements. They needed a lighter-touch annual update method that could account for changes in its business and operating environment without requiring the full stakeholder engagement process each year – while still meeting mandatory disclosure obligations under the CSRD.  

BWD designed and executed the 2025 annual materiality update. We reviewed publicly available financial information, press releases, and changes to the company’s operating context to identify shifts that might affect the significance of existing impacts, risks, and opportunities. Using the existing list of material matters as a foundation, we applied updated severity, magnitude, and likelihood ratings across short, medium, and long-term horizons – drawing on prior stakeholder engagement, desk research, and leadership workshop outcomes. The update introduced a higher threshold for “core materiality” to focus the company’s EU Sustainability Statement on the most significant disclosures, while retaining “extended materiality” items for voluntary reporting.  

The result is a streamlined, repeatable process that enables the company to maintain a robust materiality assessment without disproportionate effort. The updated assessment distinguishes clearly between core and extended materiality – limiting mandatory CSRD disclosures to the most significant impacts, risks, and opportunities while preserving comprehensive voluntary reporting. The process positions the company to respond efficiently as peer practice and regulatory expectations continue to evolve.