DD&RS Label 2026: how to organise the collection of evidence

A label that is won on evidence

CIRSES states it on its transition page: applications for the 2026 DD&RS label should reopen in January 2027. To apply, an institution must have completed at least one self-assessment on the PERSEES platform the previous year.

The new DD&RS 2026 framework has 5 axes and 72 variables, including 17 strategic variables. Each variable is scored from 1 to 5, and the levels are cumulative: level 3 is only recognised if the criteria for levels 1 and 2 are also met.

The DD&RS label rewards achievements: auditors do not score intentions, they check documents.

Here is how to get organised: where to look for evidence, which steps to follow and which mistakes to avoid.

What does the 2026 label require?

The label moves to a system of four tiers, described in CIRSES’s presentation of the tiers:

In acquisition (2 years): entry into the label.
Progression (4 years): structuring the approach.
Maturity (4 years): sustainability becomes a pillar of the strategy.
Impact and dissemination (5 years): sharing practices more widely.

According to the framework (pages 66 to 69), the first tier already requires 9 strategic variables at level 3 out of 5, including variable 1.1 (strategy and governance). The second tier adds three requirements: variables 1.1, 2.1 (education) and 4.1 (climate) must all be at level 3, and each axis must have at least one strategic variable at level 3. A first application cannot aim higher than tier 2.

In practice, the question is therefore not “what are we doing?” but “what can we prove, variable by variable?”.

Evidence or statements: the distinction that changes everything

This is the most important point, and the most often underestimated.

A piece of evidence attests to a real activity: a board resolution, a signed decree, a contract, official minutes, an approved report, a certificate.
A declarative document describes an intention or work in progress: a project sheet, a draft, an email, an internal presentation, a recommendation that was never adopted.

Declarative documents are useful: they show momentum and help you see who is in charge of what. But on their own they do not get you to a level. We recommend physically separating the two: one folder for evidence, another for working documents.

An approach can be very active and still score poorly, simply because its decisions were never formalised.

Where to find evidence?

The documents are rarely gathered in one place. Here are the sources that are usually the richest.

The institution’s public sources

Board resolutions and management decrees, often published on the website. These are the strongest evidence: appointment of a sustainability officer, adoption of a master plan, travel policy, gender equality plan. Also check less visible pages, such as “other decrees” or archives from previous years.
Annual activity reports, which provide dated and validated figures.
Legal obligations already met: employment of workers with disabilities, gender pay gap index, occupational risk assessment. They feed directly into the Social Policy axis.

Internal sources

Departments: human resources (skills development plan), purchasing (list of contracts), facilities (energy and water consumption), IT (equipment fleet and recycling).
Minutes of the DD&RS committee and working groups: they show who leads each topic day to day and what is in progress.

Partner sources

A school or institute often relies on a university or a regional cluster (buildings, student life, health, sport). Their reports and resolutions can attest to services available to your students and staff. Be careful: they show what exists on the campus, not a policy specific to your institution.

Read the official framework variable by variable, including the exact criteria for each level. Do not rely on a summary or an older version: the 2021 and 2026 frameworks do not use the same numbering.
Clarify the legal scope. School, foundation, laboratory, employing body: each has its own governing bodies and documents. A piece of evidence is only valid for the entity that produced it.
Create one sheet per variable with the target level, attached documents, the lead person and the gaps.
Link each document to its variable(s) and keep the original (signed PDF, spreadsheet) next to its transcription.
Check in with the lead for each topic to learn about ongoing actions and upcoming decisions.
Estimate levels cautiously: a level only counts if its criterion is proven, and only if all lower levels are too.
List the missing documents, with an owner and a deadline before the audit. A document adopted after the application is submitted will not help.

Pitfalls to avoid

Confusing target and result. A figure taken from a summary may be a target rather than a measured result. Always go back to the source document.
Relying on summaries. A summary or simplified minutes can distort a name, an acronym or a decision. Check against the signed document.
Citing an old version of the website. A page saved a year ago may have changed. Check the live page before citing it.
Forgetting the validity date. A master plan adopted for two years is no longer up-to-date evidence at the time of the audit if it has not been renewed.
Counting by keywords. An automated analysis of course syllabi produces many false positives: “competitive environment” or “durable goods” have nothing to do with sustainable development. Review the results before communicating a percentage.
Trusting how files are sorted. A document filed under one theme may serve another. A digital skills training course, for example, may relate both to responsible digital practices and to staff training.

In conclusion

Preparing for the DD&RS label is first and foremost rigorous documentation work: finding the documents, dating them, linking them to the right variables and spotting the missing ones in time. Institutions that start early can turn these gaps into an action plan, rather than discovering them during the audit.

Preparing an application for the 2026 DD&RS label? Let’s talk for 30 minutes about your organisation.