VSME software for suppliers: what you need and what it costs

Since July 2025, the European Commission has officially recommended the VSME standard as the framework for voluntary sustainability reporting by SMEs (Recommendation EU 2025/1710). The background: large companies — those with more than 1,000 employees — are required under the CSRD to report their scope 3 emissions. Up to 80% of those emissions come from the supply chain, meaning from suppliers like you.

The result: more and more SMEs are receiving sustainability questionnaires from their large clients. Without a structured tool, that means capturing the same data manually every year, transferring it into different formats, and sending it to different clients. With the right VSME software, you build your profile once — and deliver it automatically to every client who asks.

What a VSME tool has to do

Not every piece of software suits SME suppliers. Most available tools were built for large companies that have to manage their own CSRD reporting. What an SME supplier actually needs is different: data capture following the VSME basic module (B1–B7), not ESRS. Estimation support when exact figures are missing — with documented methodology. Automatic calculation of scope 1 and scope 2 from energy invoices. Export in a format buyers can import directly into their own reporting tools. No annual audit, no external assurance obligation — the VSME is voluntary and self-declared.

The available options at a glance

The landscape of VSME tools is developing fast. Three categories currently exist.

Category 1 — Manual templates: EFRAG provides a free Excel template. Some national bodies offer free modules too. The advantage: free. The drawback: no automatic delivery to clients, no audit trail, starting over every year.

Category 2 — Comprehensive ESG platforms: providers such as Tanso, Mavarick or Greenly cover both VSME and CSRD/ESRS. Suitable for companies that will themselves become CSRD-obligated. Prices from roughly €3,000–10,000 per year. For pure SME suppliers, usually oversized.

Category 3 — Supplier-specific tools: verified.supply is built specifically for SME suppliers who need to deliver VSME data to several clients at once. Enter your data once, automatic delivery, machine-readable exports for buyers. From free (basic profile) up to €49/month (Pro plan).

What to look for when choosing

Three questions help with the decision.

How many clients will request data from me? If it's just one, a template is enough. If it's five or more, an automated tool saves considerable time.

Do I need an audit trail? If your client needs the data for its CSRD assurance, the calculation methods must be documented. Excel templates don't do that automatically.

How much does my data change from year to year? If your energy data barely shifts, a one-time setup with an annual update is enough. A cloud-based tool updates automatically with the latest emission factors.

A practical way to start

For SME suppliers, the following approach works well: start with the free basic profile on verified.supply. Gather your energy invoices from the last financial year. The platform automatically calculates scope 1 and scope 2 based on your input. You then share the finished profile with every client requesting sustainability data — without re-entering it each time.

Sign up for early access now: verified.supply.