ESG Certification and Verification
In an environment where regulatory compliance, transparency, and verifiability have become fundamental expectations, ESG-related statements of intent are no longer sufficient on their own.
ESG Assessment and Verification Systems – Clear Distinction
Green Gains Ltd. conducts several legally distinct, independent ESG-related assessment and verification activities that are aligned in their verification logic.
For the sake of transparency, we distinguish the applied systems as follows.
1. ESG Certification According to Hungarian ESG Law
(Activity under SZTFH jurisdiction)
Green Gains Ltd. conducts ESG certification and regulatory compliance assessment activities based on the Hungarian ESG law (Act CVIII of 2023), using the methodology of Verify Agency of Sweden, as its Hungarian audit and verification partner.
The purpose of ESG certification according to the Hungarian ESG law is the objective, evidence-based assessment of whether an organization:
- falls under the scope of the legislation
- has identified the ESG obligations applicable to it
- has established the governance and operational systems necessary for managing ESG risks
- supports its compliance with documented, traceable evidence
ESG certification according to the Hungarian ESG law:
- is not based on a voluntary framework
- does not establish an ESG performance score,
- but rather establishes a regulatory compliance status
Public Methodology
The methodology applied for ESG certification according to the Hungarian ESG law is publicly available and includes in detail:
- the certification methods applied
- the data sources used
- the scientific and professional foundation of the methodology
- the assumptions and estimation principles applied
- the procedure for weighting information
Public methodology (Hungarian ESG certification): ESG_Minositesi_Modszertan_SZTFH_V1_HU.pdf
2. Audit and Verification According to VSME Framework
(voluntary, not regulatory compliance assessment)
Green Gains also conducts audits and verifications related to the VSME framework.
What does this mean?
VSME (Voluntary Sustainability Reporting for SMEs) is a structured framework recommended by the EU that:
- helps SMEs establish sustainability structures
- provides an easy transition to CSRD, should the organization later fall under its scope
VSME verification and audit:
- is based on a voluntary framework
- does not fall under the scope of the Hungarian ESG law
- helps companies with transparency
- the assessment is conducted in accordance with ISO/IEC 17029 conformity assessment principles, in a SWEDAC-accredited third-party verification system, with the participation of Green Gains
- aims to independently and impartially verify statements related to VSME
This service is not ESG certification according to the Hungarian ESG law, but rather an accredited, controlled verification built according to an EU-recommended framework.
3. Verification According to ISO 26000 SIS/TS 2:2025 Framework
(voluntary, not regulatory compliance assessment)
Green Gains also conducts independent social responsibility verification related to the ISO 26000 framework as a separate service.
ISO 26000 verification:
- does not qualify as ESG certification according to the Hungarian ESG law
- does not assess regulatory compliance
- aims to assess the extent to which an organization applies its voluntarily assumed social responsibility principles
This verification is based on a guiding, non-mandatory framework that is aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
Distinction
The ESG-related activities conducted by Green Gains do not replace each other and operate according to different legal and methodological logic:
- ESG certification according to the Hungarian ESG law assesses regulatory compliance
- verifications according to ISO 26000 – SIS/TS 2:2025 and VSME frameworks are voluntary – controlled and verified by accredited third parties – sustainability reports
In every service case, we clearly indicate which legal and methodological system the assessment follows.
Green Gains aims to ensure that organizations do not confuse regulatory compliance with voluntary sustainability frameworks, and that they always receive clear, verifiable, and credible information about their obligations and commitments.
Our Verification Partner
Verify Agency of Sweden
A recognized third-party verifier known for its independent, impartial, and thorough evaluation methods – delivering reliability, transparency, and regulatory alignment, accredited by SWEDAC.
The certification activity according to the Hungarian ESG law is legally and procedurally separate from this.