A Zero Trust Ecosystem for Delivering CSRD Reports and Enabling GSRD Collaboration
Growing demands for Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) compliance and similarly rigorous frameworks, such as GSRD (Global Sustainability Reporting Directive), require organisations to collect and share environmental, social, and governance (ESG) data in a secure, trustworthy, and transparent manner. Adding complexity to this requirement, multiple collaborating parties—suppliers, auditors, NGOs, banks—must often have equal access to the validated data at the same time to avoid delays or miscommunications.
ArQiver addresses these needs by creating a Zero Trust environment in which every data exchange is verified, each role has precisely controlled permissions, and information is stored once but can be referenced in numerous contexts. The system is structured around an organisation–domain–product–activity hierarchy, within which information streams can flow from multiple sources, ensuring that every stakeholder sees the same validated data.
In this extended document, we explore how ArQiver’s approach incorporates anti-fraud and anti-corruption measures—ensuring data is neither manipulated nor hidden—and how collaboration thrives when every party benefits from an equal information position. We also illustrate how data streams operate at the level of an Activity, highlighting the real-time interplay of participants and the systems that feed into each reporting process. The discussion builds on our earlier overview by extending the focus to the more robust measures ArQiver employs to protect against misuse.
1. Structural Overview: Organisation – Domain – Product – Activity
At the heart of ArQiver’s method is a four-level structure that organises data and processes:
This structure ensures clarity and consistency. Information streams—the actual flows of data and documents—are typically organised at the Activity level, with references up or across relevant domains or products.
1.1 Organisation
At the Organisation layer, we define overall governance, roles, and policies. The Organisation entity in ArQiver might, for instance, reflect a corporation called “GreenFoods Global.” Under it, one might see domains for “Sustainability,” “Finance,” “Operations,” etc. Each domain or product within these domains enforces consistent Zero Trust checks:
1.2 Domain
A domain is an internal classification that gathers related products. For example:
By segmenting an Organisation into domains, ArQiver ensures no one sees data from an unrelated domain unless explicitly authorised. This segmentation is crucial for anti-fraud: a user from the Sustainability domain cannot inadvertently or maliciously alter data in the Finance domain without encountering robust permission checks.
1.3 Product
Within each domain, one or more products define the functional grouping. For GSRD or CSRD, a Product might be “Supplier Emissions,” representing all the processes needed to gather, validate, and share carbon footprint data from external partners. Another product might be “Waste & Circularity,” covering packaging streams, recycling rates, or waste-to-landfill metrics.
Products are central to sustainable reporting because they define the data schema, rules, and roles in more detail. For instance:
1.4 Activity
The Activity level is where day-to-day collaboration happens. Each Activity might be:
At the Activity layer, information streams are formed and tracked. Streams reference data from internal departments or external suppliers, merging JSON files, PDF documents, or entire “document groups.” Collaboration is immediate: as soon as data arrives and is validated, all authorised users see it.
2. Zero Trust Core and Anti-Fraud Measures
To prevent fraudulent or corrupt activities, ArQiver sets up a Zero Trust environment:
By enforcing these checks, ArQiver significantly reduces the chance that a malicious insider could tamper with numbers or hide documents. Equally, it helps external auditors or regulators see precisely who made changes, when they occurred, and why they were permissible.
2.1 Fraud Scenarios and Detection
These scenarios emphasise that strong technical checks must pair with well-defined organisational rules. ArQiver’s architecture brings those rules into practice by linking them to domain, product, and activity workflows.
3. Collaboration and Equal Information for All
A hallmark of ArQiver is how it fosters collaboration among internal teams, suppliers, clients, financial institutions, and regulators. This is especially critical in CSRD and GSRD contexts, where multiple parties need synchronised, real-time views.
3.1 Equal Information Position
To avoid information asymmetry:
3.2 Real-World Example: Collaboration in Q1 GSRD Emissions
Workflow:
This architecture minimises guesswork and duplication. It also ensures that fraudulent attempts to manipulate or disguise data mid-process are extremely difficult.
4. Anti-Corruption Controls within Activities
Activities in ArQiver are more than just “to-do items.” Each Activity can define complex, multi-step data flows that incorporate corruption-prevention safeguards:
ArQiver can also lock an Activity once finalised, preventing retroactive edits. If data must be changed, a new version is created with a recorded reason—there is no silent “overwrite.”
5. How Information Streams Emerge at the Activity Level
When we talk about “information streams,” we mean the continuous inflow of data from internal systems or external parties into an Activity. Because ArQiver is set up around the organisation–domain–product–activity structure, we can define a handful of typical streams within an Activity.
5.1 Internal Department Feeds
5.2 External Partner Submissions
5.3 Automated Checkpoints
An Activity can also host automated “bots” or scripts that check the incoming data streams. For example:
Crucially, because all these references remain within the same Activity context, it’s easy to see how a given summary or report was formed from the raw data. The references are not ephemeral; they remain until the data is purged under MSPIA-defined retention policies.
6. MSPIA: Metadata for Sustainable Public Information Accessibility
ArQiver’s approach to metadata—MSPIA—keeps an extensive log of each data object’s origin, transformations, relationships, and security classification. This metadata is vital for validating authenticity and enabling future audits.
6.1 Retention and Public Accessibility
Under many sustainability frameworks, final reports must remain publicly available for a certain period. MSPIA ensures that ArQiver can automatically publish or generate a “public subset” of data once it is fully validated. The system:
This layering of open vs. restricted metadata helps an organisation comply with both transparency obligations and privacy or commercial confidentiality requirements.
7. Enhanced Anti-Fraud: 6-Eyes Principle and Digital Identity
Sometimes, even the standard “4-eyes” approach (two-person sign-off) might not suffice for high-stakes processes like large carbon credit deals or multi-million euro sustainability investments. ArQiver can scale up to a “6-eyes principle,” bringing in an external authority or a second external auditor as an additional checkpoint.
7.1 6-Eyes Principle
All three must confirm a data or transaction record in ArQiver. The system merges their e-signatures or approval logs into a single final object version. If any party withholds approval, the item cannot be advanced to “published” status.
7.2 Verified Digital Identities
To maintain trust, each participant’s login is backed by strong digital identity checks (multi-factor authentication or eIDAS-level certificates). This prevents an impostor from “posing” as an external auditor. It also ties each signature or comment to a legitimate, legally accountable individual or entity.
Zero Trust continuously enforces these checks. If the environment detects suspicious patterns—like repeated failed sign-ins or sign-ins from an unusual country—it requires additional validation or escalates to a security review. This model minimises the risk of compromised accounts enabling fraud from within.
8. Detailed Anti-Corruption Measures in Collaborative Processes
Beyond purely technical constraints, anti-corruption success relies on cross-functional processes and real-time collaboration:
8.1 Real-Time Collaboration Threads
When participants collaborate on a suspicious or complex dataset, they can open discussion threads within the relevant Activity in ArQiver:
This approach ensures no hidden channels or offline side deals circumvent the official conversation. Everyone—supplier, internal staff, auditor—sees the entire discussion if they have the correct clearance.
8.2 Equal Information Through the Resolution
Throughout these processes, ArQiver enforces an “equal information position” policy for those who are authorised. This means:
9. A Closer Look at Collaboration Scenarios
9.1 Scenario: Bank Financing Based on GSRD Data
A major bank might use ArQiver to gauge a corporation’s sustainability performance. The bank is granted read-only access to certain Products under the “Sustainability Domain,” specifically focusing on carbon, water, or labour data.
Workflow:
Because of equal information principles, the bank sees precisely what the internal team and auditor see once that data is published. No hidden figures remain behind locked spreadsheets, drastically reducing the chance of misrepresentation.
9.2 Scenario: NGO Checking Social Indicators
An NGO partner might want to check social-labour data in the supply chain. If certain suppliers under “Product GSRD - Social Indicators” are known to be at risk of labour issues, the NGO might ask questions or attach relevant inspection PDFs.
This scenario exemplifies how multiple external parties can access just the relevant domain or product without risking interference in finance or operations data.
10. Communication, Secure Social Engagement, and Peer-to-Peer Payment
Beyond pure data management, ArQiver emphasises “seamless access to economic and social systems”. This is where the system can power advanced collaboration, going as far as enabling:
10.1 Payment Tied to Verified Data
In typical GSRD offset programmes, corruption can arise if a provider claims to have sold more carbon credits than exist, or if a buyer falsifies how many credits they purchased. By linking payment to the verified Activity, ArQiver ensures:
Hence, “equal information position” extends to the financial domain as well: no hidden transactions, no unverified claims.
11. Detailed Example: Anti-Corruption Through Organisation–Domain–Product–Activity
Below, we illustrate how an organisation might use ArQiver to manage a large GSRD project, focusing on anti-fraud and corruption controls.
Organisation: “EcoCommerce International (ECI)”
Domain: “Sustainability”
Product: “GSRD Emissions Tracking”
11.1 Activity #1: January Emissions Submissions
11.2 Activity #2: February Emissions Submissions
11.3 Activity #3: Q1 Auditor Verification
Corruption is minimised here because each step demands multiple checks, each contributor’s identity is verified, and any changes to data require version updates with official notes. Attempts to mislead or bribe a single manager fail if the system requires sign-off from additional roles and external parties.
12. Ensuring Seamless Access to Economic and Social Systems
ArQiver’s overarching promise is to unify economic and social interactions around validated legal identities, data transparency, and frictionless collaboration. In a GSRD/CSRD environment, the following outcomes are particularly notable:
Streamlined Communication
Secure Social Engagement
Peer-to-Peer Payment
Anchored in Verified Legal Identities
12.1 Overcoming Data Silos
Many large organisations keep departmental silos. For instance, the corporate social responsibility (CSR) team might store some data in spreadsheets, the procurement department might store supplier information in a separate database, and the finance department might keep cost details in SAP. ArQiver does not seek to replace all those systems; instead, it integrates them:
Fraud or corruption thrives on silos and hidden processes. By uniting them into a single, structured environment, ArQiver denies malicious actors the shadows they might exploit.
12.2 Reducing Manual Overheads
In a typical CSRD or GSRD environment, staff might spend countless hours chasing and merging documents from different parties. ArQiver’s Zero Trust automation drastically cuts these overheads:
13. Bringing It All Together
ArQiver:
13.1 Typical Data Lifecycle
Every step is recorded. Should someone question the final data six months later, the entire chain of references is available, including each user’s credentials and the reasons for any changes.
14. A Secure, Transparent Future for GSRD/CSRD
ArQiver provides a robust, Zero Trust ecosystem for CSRD and GSRD collaboration, uniting multiple data sources and roles while thwarting fraud and corruption attempts. By focusing on:
This synergy transforms sustainability reporting from a fragmented manual chore into a consistent, automated, and transparent process that stands up to modern demands for accountability. Freed from the burdens of manual checking and data duplication, teams can spend more time addressing genuine sustainability challenges—cutting emissions, improving social conditions, or meeting compliance obligations.
14.1 The Path to Equal Access
“Our mission is to ensure seamless access to economic and social systems through a unified solution anchored in verified legal identities. By supporting streamlined communication, secure social engagement, and peer-to-peer payment, all grounded in an equal information position.”
Fulfilling this vision depends on robust structural frameworks and advanced technology working in tandem. ArQiver’s methodical approach—unifying the entire chain of data, tasks, and user actions—puts each participant on equal footing, fosters transparency in GSRD/CSRD initiatives, and protects all parties against fraud or corruption.
In short, ArQiver stands as a next-generation platform for sustainability reporting, merging:
Where other systems may falter under the weight of siloed data, shadow spreadsheets, or inconsistent approvals, ArQiver thrives by applying structure and verification at every step. This end-to-end approach ensures that large organisations, their partners, and external stakeholders can collectively deliver CSRD reports and GSRD compliance with unrivalled clarity, security, and confidence.
Sincerely,
Hans van Bommel
Founder at ArQiver
Ensuring an equal information position for all
13 小时前Take along this EY article Anna van den Breemer- Kleene https://info.ey.com/index.php/email/emailWebview?email=NTIwLVJYUC0wMDMAAAGY_MNhXqXncJk1_vQXrU6tQ4JVZkr-0reVWivreW2iSy4XvytCGfhn4PZ9tJ5CAfoMu3ql2Mfc1062qRKDtgWfOgtf0HjyD7ZhT28