Case study

How do you help entrepreneurs navigate the maze of new sustainability regulations?

An increasing number of companies must report on their impact on people and the environment. The Ministry of Economic Affairs therefore asked Patroon to develop a practical guide: the ESRS Navigator. This guides entrepreneurs step by step through the new European reporting obligations.

The ESRS Navigator is an interactive guide about complex sustainability legislation.

Client

Ministry of Economic Affairs

Date

January 2025

Services

Information Design Legal Content Design Interactive Guides Legal Process Design

Website

https://www.rvo.nl/sites/default/files/2025-01/ESRS_Navigator_januari_2025.pdf

Project snapshot

Overview

We built the ESRS Navigator, an interactive guide that turns European sustainability reporting rules into a concrete, step-by-step playbook for Dutch entrepreneurs.

Key takeaways

Translates 1,000+ pages of ESRS regulation into an interactive journey for SMEs
Combines theory with a fictional company story, showing exactly how to apply each rule
Validated through two user-testing rounds with stakeholders and sustainability experts

Impact metrics

Entrepreneurs reached: 15,000+
Via national launch events and direct distribution by the Ministry of Economic Affairs
Time to actionable guidance: Minutes instead of weeks
Scenario-based navigation replaces lengthy regulation deep-dives
Testing rounds: 2
Stakeholder and expert sessions sharpened content and UX before launch

The ESRS Navigator is an interactive guide about complex sustainability legislation.

From Theory to Practice

To make the complex theory concrete, we created FreshFood B.V.: a fictional Dutch family business that produces ready-made meals. Through FreshFood, we show what sustainability reporting looks like in practice. What do you need to report about your CO₂ emissions? How do you map your water consumption? What do you write about working conditions in your supply chain?

In the Navigator, users can constantly switch between theory and practice. For each topic, you first see the theory, and immediately after that how FreshFood has approached this. This makes it immediately clear how to apply the rules. We deliberately chose a medium-sized production company, as many of the first reporting companies will recognize themselves in this. FreshFood struggles with the same challenges as they do: from mapping CO₂ emissions in the supply chain to reporting on working conditions for seasonal workers.

This example has another advantage: it shows that sustainability reporting is not just about large multinationals, but also about ordinary Dutch companies that are taking steps towards sustainability one step at a time.

With the ESRS Navigator, we have made complex European regulations accessible to Dutch entrepreneurs. A great example of how the government concretely supports businesses in the transition to sustainable operations.

This was a fantastic project where everything came together for us: complex subject matter, a topic close to our hearts, and a fantastic team to work with.