Students developed a dynamic ESG documentation structure for EY’s sustainability team in the Nordics

Master's students Gwen Borning (Strategic Management) and Zoey Nguyen (Creative Sustainability) worked with EY corporate sustainability operations in the Nordicsto explore how ESG accounting processes and documentation could be streamlined to support evolving reporting requirements. The focus was on helping teams adapt to the European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS) and other sustainability legislation and certifications, while keeping the framework efficient and coherent as requirements change. The project was completed as a Customized Student Business Project in summer 2026.

The project delivered a proposal for operational ESG documentation model for EY’s internal sustainability operations. It provides a clear structure for ESG reporting documentation and lays the foundation for future digitalisation and process development to smoothen reporting process and create more insights for sustainability improvements.

What makes a dynamic ESG documentation model?

The students began by reviewing EY Nordics' existing ESG documentation practices and conducting internal interviews. This identified the key criteria for the documentation: it should be well structured, user-friendly and easy to maintain as reporting requirements and organisational needs evolve.

The team then interviewed experienced EY sustainability consultants and researched existing ESG benchmarks. They also drew on financial accounting practices as a reference point. With guidance from academic supervisor, Senior Lecturer in Accounting Nina Sormunen, they adapted well-established financial accounting processes to the evolving field of sustainability accounting.

Through the research, the team identified that providing recommendations for documentation structure and process flow would be of the most immediate benefit, while digitalisation and automation were explored for longer-term opportunities. A clear structure and defined responsibilities to document data collection process can provide the foundation for future tools such as digital workflows, automated change tracking, and task management. 

The student team proposed a clearly structured documentation system to help users find the information they need and create clearer links between reporting requirements, technical guidance and the practical insights behind reported ESG data. This keeps it adaptable as reporting requirements and practices develop across EY's operations in the Nordic countries.

The final package included practical guidance and documentation models, such as an ESG documentation implementation roadmap, ready-to-use accounting manual document templates and practical recommendations for opportunities to automate documentation.

‘The team helped reflect on sustainability reporting requirements and think about ESG documentation as a long-term business process. Their recommendations provide a clear roadmap for improving reporting efficiency while laying the groundwork for future automated solutions,’ Niina Mikolanniemi, EY Finland’s Corporate Sustainability Lead, says.

Carolina Fernandez, Sustainability Innovation Manager in EY Nordic Business Unit, comments that the project gave a practical structure that they can start building on immediately. ‘It also helps us think about where we want to go next, particularly how we can make our processes more efficient and use digital tools more effectively.’ 

Behind the scenes 

For the students, the project was an opportunity to get insights on a company ESG reporting and apply concepts from their studies at Aalto University to a real organisational challenge.

‘One of the most valuable parts of the project was seeing how sustainability reporting works in practice,’ says Zoey Nguyen. ‘Requirements that seem straightforward on paper become much more complex when you consider how information is documented, who is responsible for it and how different parts of an organisation need to work together.’

For Gwen Borning, the project also offered insight into how the field is developing as she considers a career in sustainability consulting.

‘It was a valuable experience to see behind the scenes and understand where ESG reporting is today for many businesses, how the field is still developing and where it could be heading,’ she says.

Academic supervisor Nina Sormunen reflected on the collaboration by saying that it was a real pleasure working with the students and EY team in the Nordics throughout the project. 

‘It was a great example of what university-company collaboration can offer: fresh thinking, new perspectives and practical ideas for a real business challenge. I was particularly impressed by how quickly the students took ownership of a complex topic and developed their thinking. They approached the work with curiosity and professionalism, and translated a complex sustainability reporting challenge into concrete, useful recommendations for EY’s team.’