Frequently asked questions

ARSC ESG Certification is a voluntary tool for assessing and recognising an organisation's performance across the three pillars: environmental (E), social responsibility (S) and governance (G). It is issued by the Romanian Smart City Association (Asociația Română pentru Smart City, ARSC) under its cooperation partnership with the Department for Sustainable Development (DDD) of the Government of Romania (Agreement no. 682/DDD).

Any organisation operating in Romania: private companies of any size or sector, public institutions (city halls, hospitals, schools, county councils, autonomous public utilities) and NGOs or other non-profit organisations. There is no minimum number of employees or turnover.

The certificate is issued by ARSC. The assessment process is aligned with Romania's National Sustainable Development Strategy 2030 (SNDDR 2030, approved by Government Decision no. 877/2018) and the UN 2030 Agenda. The methodology is based on 27 indicators built on good European ESG reporting practice.

ARSC ESG Certification is a voluntary assessment, issued by an association, using its own methodology aligned with SNDDR 2030. It is NOT a state accreditation and it does NOT amount to CSRD compliance (which requires reporting under the ESRS standards and assurance from a statutory auditor). The certificate helps you structure your ESG data and prepare for the requirements of partners and of reporting, but it does not replace legal reporting obligations where they apply.

Yes. The ARSC ESG certificate can be submitted in public procurement procedures where the contracting authorities include sustainability or ESG criteria. It can also be used in applications for EU funding, annual reports, communication materials and investor relations. How it counts in a given tender depends on the requirements of each procedure.

The ESG score assessment takes 5-10 working days from receipt of complete answers and confirmation of payment. Add 1-2 days to issue the certificate once the offer is accepted. In total: about 2-3 weeks from the start of the process.

There is no fixed list of mandatory documents. You can attach supporting documents for your answers to the 27 indicators (for example internal policies, reports, existing certifications, contracts with green suppliers). The better you document your answers, the more accurate your score. You can also answer without documents, but your score may be affected.

Answer honestly with "No" or "Partly" for the indicators you have not implemented. The system calculates your actual score and gives you specific recommendations on what you can improve. You do not need a perfect performance: even a Bronze score (50-59 points) is enough to obtain the certificate.

Yes, the process is 100% digital. You submit the application online, receive access to the platform, fill in the questionnaire and upload your documents, all from your browser, with no travel. The ARSC team carries out the analysis remotely. If anything needs clarifying, we contact you by email or phone.

The total score is out of 100 points, split as follows: Environmental pillar (E) = 40 points, Social pillar (S) = 30 points, Governance pillar (G) = 30 points. Each indicator carries a weight within its pillar. A "Yes" answer gives the maximum points, "Partly" gives partial points and "No" gives no points.

The minimum score to be eligible for certification is 50 points out of 100. Below 50 points, the organisation is in the "Grey Zone": it receives the assessment report but cannot obtain the certificate until it is reassessed.

Bronze: 50-59 points · Silver: 60-74 points · Gold: 75-89 points · Platinum: 90-100 points · Grey Zone (no certificate): below 50 points.

There are two cost stages: (1) ESG score assessment: EUR 1,250 + VAT, a fixed cost for any organisation. This covers access to the platform, the ARSC analysis, the score calculation and the assessment report. (2) Issuing the certificate: a personalised cost, calculated after the assessment according to the size of the organisation, the number of sites, the fields of activity and the package chosen. The level achieved does not affect the price. The details are on the Costs page.

No. The EUR 1,250 fee covers the assessment process itself (the ARSC analysis, validation of documents and issuing the assessment report with recommendations), whatever score you obtain. Even with a score below 50 points, you receive a professional document with a detailed analysis of your organisation.

The ARSC ESG certificate is valid for 12 months from the date of issue. When it expires, you can apply for renewal through a new assessment.

Each certificate has a unique serial number (format ARSC-ESG-YYYY-XXXX). All certified organisations are listed publicly in the ARSC ESG Register on this site, where you can check the level and the date of issue.

Yes. When the certificate is issued, you receive the right to use the "Validat ESG - ARSC" mark and a digital badge for your website and communications. The right of use lasts as long as the certificate (12 months).