EESG Checklist: A Practical Tool for Assessing Sustainability in PtX

Ensuring sustainability in PtX projects can be challenging, which is why having assessment tools early in the process can make a difference. To support this, the International PtX Hub has launched an interactive EESG checklist: a self-assessment tool designed to help project developers evaluate whether their PtX project aligns with key sustainability principles. 

Building on the PtX Hub’s EESG Framework, the checklist outlines four dimensions of sustainability (Environmental, Economic, Social, and Governance) and groups related opportunities and concerns into thematic clusters. It provides a hands-on tool to explore how these principles are being addressed in real-world PtX projects, helping to translate high-level sustainability commitments into concrete implementation.  

The checklist has already proven effective in practice. Since 2022, is has been used within the GIZ H2Uppp programme to assess project proposals.  

Rather than enforcing thresholds or providing a score, the checklist promotes structured reflection. It enables users to identify key aspects of sustainability, potential gaps, define next steps, and create a basis for collaboration and dialogue.   

To guide users through this process, the checklist is structured into five steps:  

• Step #1: Gather information on the sustainability aspects of your projects   
• Step #2: Complete the checklist questions, adding explanations where possible 
• Step #3: Download your responses to track progress and guide discussions 
• Step #4: Use the results to collaborate internally or with partners on next steps 
• Step #5: Re-assess regularly to track improvements or address open issues 

This step-by-step approach makes the tool especially useful in the early stages of project development. Still, it can also support the review of ongoing projects. Importantly, users can tailor the scope of the assessment to fit their level of access, whether they are assessing the full PtX value chain or focusing on a single segment.    

Finally, while the checklist includes a visual display of responses, it does not rank or rate performance. Instead, it serves as a practical companion for continuous improvement, helping users reflect on what is already in place, and identify areas where further development is needed.