Background: Sustainability reporting is becoming increasingly important, as given the sustainability challenges investors demand more data on companies' sustainability performance.  

Problem: Research suggests that sustainability reporting standards are generally anchored in weak sustainability but there is inconclusive evidence on how mandatory sustainability reporting translates into tangible sustainability outcomes, therefore further investigation is needed. 

Purpose: The purpose of the study is to investigate to what extent reporting under the CSRD mandate aligns with the notion of strong sustainability. 

Method: First, content analysis of the ESRS and CSRD was carried out to place them on Landrum’s (2018) Corporate Sustainability Stages model. Second, semistructured interviews were conducted, followed by a thematic analysis. 

Results: The content analysis revealed that the ESRS and CSRD are both aligned with weak sustainability. The findings from thematic analysis also indicated that CSRD aligns with weak sustainability, given its financial approach, promotion of compliance mindset, complexity, lack of guidance, and the existing knowledge gap despite inclusion of several elements that promote a more systemic understanding of sustainability.