AREA OF FOCUS
AREA OF FOCUS
EU Taxonomy.
EU Taxonomy.
Eligible. Aligned.
Eligible.
Aligned.
Whether required by regulation or prepared voluntarily, EU Taxonomy reporting requires a detailed assessment of economic activities, technical screening criteria and supporting financial and operational data. BARNS helps organisations navigate these requirements through a structured, technically robust and practical reporting approach.
Whether required by regulation or prepared
voluntarily, EU Taxonomy reporting requires a detailed assessment of economic activities, technical screening criteria and supporting financial and operational data. BARNS helps organisations navigate these requirements through a structured, technically robust and practical reporting approach.
WHAT IS EU TAXONOMY?
WHAT IS EU TAXONOMY?
Connecting sustainability activities with financial reporting
Connecting sustainability activities with financial reporting
The EU Taxonomy establishes a common classification system for environmentally sustainable economic activities. Organisations assess whether activities are Taxonomy-eligible and, where applicable, Taxonomy-aligned by evaluating technical screening criteria, Do No Significant Harm (DNSH) requirements and minimum safeguards. The resulting assessments form the basis for the disclosure of key performance indicators and related reporting obligations.
The EU Taxonomy establishes a common classification system for environmentally sustainable economic activities. Organisations assess whether activities are Taxonomy-eligible and, where applicable, Taxonomy-aligned by evaluating technical screening criteria, Do No Significant Harm (DNSH) requirements and minimum safeguards. The resulting assessments form the basis for the disclosure of key performance indicators and related reporting obligations.
KEY IMPLICATIONS
KEY IMPLICATIONS
What EU Taxonomy reporting means in practice
What EU Taxonomy reporting means in practice
Finance is often best placed to lead
Finance is often best placed to lead
Data collection goes far beyond finance
Data collection goes far beyond finance
Technical assessments can become highly granular
Technical assessments can become highly granular
A robust methodology matters as much as the final KPI
A robust methodology matters as much as the final KPI
Because Taxonomy KPIs are derived from financial statement figures, many organisations benefit from Finance leading or co-leading the project alongside sustainability teams.
Because Taxonomy KPIs are derived from financial statement figures, many organisations benefit from Finance leading or co-leading the project alongside sustainability teams.
While Taxonomy KPIs are ultimately based on financial statement figures, the underlying assessment often requires data from operations, procurement, engineering and other business functions, making cross-functional collaboration essential.
While Taxonomy KPIs are ultimately based on financial statement figures, the underlying assessment often requires data from operations, procurement, engineering and other business functions, making cross-functional collaboration essential.
Depending on the economic activity, Technical Screening Criteria may require assessments at product or activity level, significantly increasing the complexity of the reporting process.
Depending on the economic activity, Technical Screening Criteria may require assessments at product or activity level, significantly increasing the complexity of the reporting process.
Preparing reliable Taxonomy reporting requires consistent interpretations, documented methodologies and transparent calculations to support robust and reproducible reporting.
Preparing reliable Taxonomy reporting requires consistent interpretations, documented methodologies and transparent calculations to support robust and reproducible reporting.
TIMELINE
TIMELINE
From planning to final Taxonomy disclosures
From planning to final Taxonomy disclosures
~ 2 min. weeks
~ 2 min. weeks
Understand your business
& the Taxonomy
Understand your business
& the Taxonomy
Understand your business model, identify potential economic activities and establish the project scope.
Understand your business model, identify potential economic activities and establish the project scope.
BARNS Step 1
BARNS Step 1
~ min. 4 - 6 weeks
~ min. 4 - 6 weeks
Assess eligibility
& alignment
Assess eligibility
& alignment
Assess Revenue, CapEx and OpEx in detail, evaluate eligibility and alignment and address reporting gaps.
Assess Revenue, CapEx and OpEx in detail, evaluate eligibility and alignment and address reporting gaps.
BARNS Steps 2
BARNS Steps 2
~ min. 6 weeks
~ min. 6 weeks
Design & embed
the reporting framework
Design & embed
the reporting framework
Develop methodologies, governance, documentation and reporting processes.
Develop methodologies, governance, documentation and reporting processes.
BARNS Steps 4 - 6
BARNS Steps 4 - 6
~ min. 2 - 3 weeks
~ min. 2 - 3 weeks
Calculate KPIs & prepare disclosures
Calculate KPIs & prepare disclosures
Prepare the final report for publication, including supporting documentation and KPI disclosures.
Prepare the final report for publication, including supporting documentation and KPI disclosures.
BARNS Step 7
BARNS Step 7
Approximate timelines. Actual project duration depends on data availability, stakeholder responsiveness, organisational capacity and implementation scope.
Approximate timelines. Actual project duration depends on data availability, stakeholder responsiveness, organisational capacity and implementation scope.
THE BARNS APPROACH
THE BARNS APPROACH
Understanding your business comes first
Understanding your business comes first
Every situation is different — but most projects follow a recognisable arc. The depth and focus of each phase depends on the specific standard, organisation and starting point.
Every situation is different — but most projects follow a recognisable arc. The depth and focus of each phase depends on the specific standard, organisation and starting point.
1
Requirements & intial impact assessment
Requirements & intial impact assessment
2
Detailed technical assessment & addressing gaps
Detailed technical assessment &
addressing gaps
3
Reporting framework design
Reporting framework design
4
Implementation & coordination
Implementation & coordination
5
Training & knowledge transfer
Training & knowledge transfer
6
Dry run & validation
Dry run & validation
7
First time reporting & audit readiness
First time reporting & audit readiness
Looking closer at the first step:
Based on the findings from Step 1 and the agreed reporting approach, you can decide whether to continue independently or move into Step 2 – Detailed technical assessment & addressing gaps – together with BARNS.
Based on the findings from Step 1 and the agreed reporting approach, you can decide whether to continue independently or move into Step 2 – Detailed technical assessment & addressing gaps – together with BARNS.
The auditor's perspective – built in from the start:
Led by a licensed Wirtschaftsprüfer (German Public Auditor / CPA equivalent), BARNS understands not only how new reporting requirements are implemented, but also how they may later be challenged in an assurance context.
The auditor's perspective – built in from the start:
Led by a licensed Wirtschaftsprüfer (German Public Auditor / CPA equivalent), BARNS understands not only how new reporting requirements are implemented, but also how they may later be challenged in an assurance context.
Let's understand where you stand.
Let's understand where you stand.
Whether you're preparing your first EU Taxonomy report or updating an existing approach in response to regulatory developments, the first step is understanding where you stand today. Together, we identify key challenges, define the project scope and establish a practical way forward.
Whether you're preparing your first EU Taxonomy report or updating an existing approach in response to regulatory developments, the first step is understanding where you stand today.
Together, we identify key challenges, define the project scope and establish a practical way forward.
Advisory for reporting, accounting and transformation.
© 2026 BARNS GmbH Wirtschaftsprüfungsgesellschaft. All rights reserved.
Advisory for reporting, accounting and transformation.
© 2026 BARNS GmbH Wirtschaftsprüfungsgesellschaft. All rights reserved.
Advisory for reporting, accounting and transformation.
© 2026 BARNS GmbH Wirtschaftsprüfungsgesellschaft. All rights reserved.
Advisory for reporting, accounting and transformation.
© 2026 BARNS GmbH Wirtschaftsprüfungsgesellschaft. All rights reserved.