UK SRS vs SECR: What Changes, What Stays?

UK sustainability reporting is entering a more complex phase.

While SECR remains in force, the UK SRS S1 and S2 will soon introduce a broader framework for climate and sustainability disclosure. The FCA is proposing to replace its existing TCFD-aligned rules for in-scope listed companies with UK SRS-based requirements, with new rules expected to come into force from 1 January 2027.

For organizations already reporting under SECR, the immediate challenge is working out what changes, what can be reused and where the two frameworks still need to be treated separately. 

UK SRS doesn’t replace SECR, at least for now

The publication of the final UK Sustainability Reporting Standards (UK SRS) S1 and S2 in February 2026 has created an obvious question for companies already reporting under Streamlined Energy and Carbon Reporting (SECR): Does the new framework replace it?

Under the current rules, it doesn’t.

SECR remains in force

SECR is still mandatory for organizations within its scope, including:

• Quoted companies: Companies with equity shares listed on specified public markets, regardless of company size
• Large unquoted companies: UK companies meeting at least two of the SECR size thresholds for turnover, balance sheet total, and employees
• Large LLPs: UK limited liability partnerships meeting the same size test

That means organizations already reporting under SECR should continue to assess and meet those requirements.

UK SRS is developing on a separate track

The current UK SRS position looks different:

• UK SRS S1 and S2 were finalized on 25 February 2026
• Both standards are currently available for voluntary use
• The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) is progressing separate requirements for certain listed companies
• Proposed FCA requirements would begin applying to accounting periods starting on or after 1 January 2027

This makes UK SRS an additional reporting consideration rather than an automatic replacement for SECR.

There is also no confirmed plan to simply phase SECR out. In its May 2026 post-implementation review, the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) recommended retaining SECR with amendments, while exploring greater alignment with newer sustainability reporting standards.

Until that alignment materializes, reporting teams face the near-term challenge of managing overlap between the two frameworks.

SECR and UK SRS answer fundamentally different questions

The overlap between SECR and UK SRS is easiest to understand by looking at what each framework is designed to achieve. Both use emissions data, but for different purposes.

SECR focuses on energy and emissions performance

SECR was designed primarily to increase transparency around corporate energy use and greenhouse gas emissions. Companies within scope report information including:

• Energy consumption
• Associated greenhouse gas emissions
• At least one intensity ratio
• The methodology used to calculate energy use and emissions
• Principal energy-efficiency actions taken during the reporting year

SECR is largely asking: How much energy did the company use, what emissions did that generate, and what action did it take to improve energy efficiency?

UK SRS connects climate information to business prospects

UK SRS S2 has a broader objective. It focuses on climate-related risks and opportunities that could affect a company’s prospects, including its cash flows, access to finance and cost of capital. This brings governance, strategy, climate resilience, Scope 1–3 emissions, metrics, targets and financial effects into the disclosure.

The central question becomes: How could climate-related risks and opportunities affect the company’s prospects, and how is the business responding?

This is why UK SRS should not be understood as SECR plus Scope 3. It changes both the depth and purpose of the disclosure, connecting climate information to governance, strategy, risk management and financial decision-making.

SECR “versus” UK SRS at a glance

What data can businesses reuse between SECR and UK SRS?

The two frameworks serve different purposes, but that doesn’t mean reporting teams need to build two entirely separate data systems. There is meaningful data overlap between SECR and UK SRS, particularly around Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions, even where the final reporting requirements remain distinct.

Much of the information already collected for SECR can form part of the data foundation for UK SRS.

Start with the data already supporting SECR

Existing SECR processes may already give organizations access to:

• Energy and fuel consumption data
• Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions data
• Emission factors and calculation methodologies
• Facility and organizational information
• Historical comparisons and intensity metrics
• Supporting evidence and audit trails

Rather than collecting this information again, reporting teams can assess where it maps to UK SRS S2 requirements and where additional data or controls are needed.

Then identify what UK SRS adds

The larger gaps are likely to sit outside the traditional SECR reporting process. Depending on the organization, these can include:

• Material Scope 3 emissions
• Climate-related risks and opportunities
• Governance and oversight
• Scenario analysis and climate resilience
• Current and anticipated financial effects
• Climate-related targets and progress
• Transition plan information, where applicable

The important distinction is that reusing the underlying data doesn’t mean reusing the disclosure unchanged. A more scalable approach is to maintain one governed sustainability dataset and use it to support the requirements of each framework:

SECR data and other sustainability data → common data foundation → SECR and UK SRS reporting outputs

This reduces duplicate data collection while preserving the distinctions each framework requires.

How to prepare for SECR and UK SRS without doubling the reporting workload

Once the areas of overlap and difference are clear, the next step is to identify what your existing reporting process can support today and where new capabilities are needed for UK SRS.

Start with these five steps.

1. Map the data already used for SECR

Start by understanding the reporting infrastructure already in place.

Document:

• What energy and emissions data is collected
• Which systems and teams provide it
• Who owns each data point
• Which methodologies and emission factors are used
• What evidence supports the reported figures
• Where estimates or manual calculations are still required

This creates a clear view of what can already support UK SRS and where the current process may need stronger controls.

2. Map existing information against UK SRS

Next, compare the existing SECR process with UK SRS S2 requirements.

A simple gap assessment can group requirements into:

• Already covered: Data or processes that can largely be reused
• Partially covered: Existing information that needs greater detail or a different reporting treatment
• New: Requirements not currently addressed through SECR

This makes UK SRS readiness easier to manage. Instead of approaching it as an entirely new reporting project, teams can focus resources on the areas where the actual gaps exist.

3. Prioritize the largest reporting gaps

For many organizations, those gaps will extend beyond emissions measurement.

Scope 3 data may require greater involvement from procurement, suppliers and other parts of the value chain. Climate risk and scenario analysis may require input from finance, risk and strategy teams. Governance disclosures also depend on clearly documenting how responsibilities and decisions flow through the organization.

These capabilities can take time to establish, particularly where sustainability information is currently fragmented across teams and systems.

4. Build common controls around sustainability data

Where the same information supports multiple disclosures, organizations should avoid maintaining separate spreadsheets, calculation methods or evidence trails for each framework.

Instead, establish common controls around:

• Data ownership
• Calculation methodologies
• Assumptions and estimates
• Version control
• Supporting evidence
• Review and approval

The aim is to create a governed source of sustainability information that can be used confidently across reporting requirements.

5. Keep the reporting outputs distinct

A shared data foundation doesn’t mean SECR and UK SRS should produce identical disclosures.

Reporting boundaries, materiality assessments and methodologies can differ. The priority is being able to trace each output back to its source and explain why differences exist.

This is also where connected sustainability reporting infrastructure becomes valuable. Sweep is a sustainability intelligence platform that enables organizations to centralize sustainability data, maintain a consistent audit trail and map governed information across different disclosure requirements without rebuilding the reporting process for every framework.

Build once, report many times

Sweep’s dedicated UK SRS solution is pre-mapped to S1 and S2, with built-in datapoint-level guidance. Teams can also use Sweep AI and its various agents to validate data, map indicators, match emission factors and support disclosure drafting.

With Sweep, organizations can:

• Centralize emissions and sustainability data from across the business
• Connect data from finance, procurement, operations and suppliers
• Maintain clear ownership, methodology and audit trails
• Work from pre-mapped UK SRS S1 and S2 disclosures
• Prepare audit-ready outputs designed with ISSA (UK) 5000 assurance in mind
• Reuse the same governed dataset across UK SRS, CSRD, CDP, GRI and investor reporting

This is particularly valuable as UK reporting requirements become more interconnected.

The value proposition is simple: Connect your sustainability data once, then use it across UK SRS and the other reporting requirements your organization needs to meet.

Book a demo to explore Sweep’s UK SRS solution.