Table 2.

Guiding topics for the interviews and interview questions

Main-categorySub-categoryQuestions
MotivationReasonsWhat were the reasons of the company you work for to enter the business field of sustainability reporting assurance?
Services and business fieldsWhat services are offered by the company in which you work in sustainability reporting and its assurance, and how is the business area of assurance of sustainability reporting currently structured?
DevelopmentsHow have these services and the business field of auditing sustainability reporting developed in recent years and what development is planned for the upcoming years?
Challenges and
opportunities
OpportunitiesWhat opportunities arise in the assurance of sustainability reporting for the companies providing the audit?
ChallengesWhat challenges arise in the assurance of sustainability reporting for the companies providing the audit?
ProcessGuidelinesWhat frameworks do the companies use for sustainability reporting?
Assurance standardsWhich standards are used for the sustainability assurance?
SkillsWhat competencies do the staff in the audit teams for sustainability assurance have?
External expertsAre external experts used for certain areas (e.g. complex technical aspects)?
Legal developmentsWhat legal developments are expected in the future in sustainability reporting and its audit, and what impact will these have on the audit?
Level of assuranceWhat level of assurance (limited/reasonable) is currently offered for sustainability assurance and are there plans to offer a higher level of assurance in the future?
Source(s): Created by authors

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