GRI - Global Reporting Initiative, GRI Standards (General Disclosures, Specific Standard Disclosures and Management Approach Disclosures)

 GRI - Global Reporting Initiative

The GRI is an international organization that aims to promote sustainable development by providing a framework for organizations to report on their economic, environmental, and social impacts. It was founded in 1997 by the Coalition for Environmentally Responsible Economies (CERES) and the Tellus Institute, and is now an independent organization with its own governance structure.

The GRI provides guidelines and standards for sustainability reporting, which are widely used by companies, governments, and other organizations around the world. The guidelines cover a wide range of topics, including governance, ethics, labor practices, human rights, environmental impacts, and community involvement. The guidelines are updated every few years to ensure that they remain relevant and up-to-date with changing global issues and sustainability trends.

Companies that use the GRI guidelines are able to report on their sustainability performance in a consistent and comparable way, which makes it easier for stakeholders to assess and compare their sustainability performance. This can include a range of stakeholders, such as investors, customers, employees, regulators, and civil society organizations. The GRI guidelines also help companies to identify areas where they need to improve their sustainability performance, and to set goals and targets for improvement.

The GRI guidelines are voluntary, but many companies choose to use them because they are widely recognized as the global standard for sustainability reporting. In fact, the GRI has become the most widely used framework for sustainability reporting, with over 90% of the world's largest 250 companies now reporting on their sustainability performance using the GRI guidelines.

In addition to providing guidelines and standards for sustainability reporting, the GRI also provides guidance on how to integrate sustainability into corporate strategy and how to engage with stakeholders. The GRI's guidance helps companies to develop sustainability strategies that align with their business objectives, and to engage with stakeholders in a meaningful way to understand their concerns and expectations.

The GRI also works with governments, investors, and civil society organizations to promote sustainable development and encourage companies to adopt more sustainable practices. The GRI advocates for policies and regulations that promote sustainability, and works to raise awareness of the importance of sustainability among stakeholders.

Overall, the GRI plays an important role in promoting sustainable development by providing a framework for organizations to report on their sustainability performance, and by working with stakeholders to promote sustainable practices and policies.

The GRI Standards are a set of guidelines developed by the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) to help organizations report on their sustainability performance. The GRI Standards provide a framework for organizations to report on their economic, environmental, and social impacts in a consistent, transparent, and credible manner.

The GRI Standards are organized into three sections:

1.       General Disclosures, which provide an overview of the organization and its sustainability reporting practices.

2. Specific Standard Disclosures, which cover a range of sustainability topics such as governance, human rights, labor practices, environmental impacts, and community engagement

3. Management Approach Disclosures, which explain how the organization manages and addresses sustainability issues

The GRI Standards are designed to be flexible and adaptable to different types and sizes of organizations, and can be used by any organization, regardless of sector or geographic location. They are regularly updated to reflect changes in sustainability reporting practices and stakeholder expectations.

Using the GRI Standards can help organizations to:

• Identify and prioritize sustainability issues that are most relevant to their business and stakeholders
• Monitor and manage their sustainability performance
• Enhance their reputation and build trust with stakeholders
• Improve their ability to attract and retain investors, customers, and employees who are interested in sustainability issues

Overall, the GRI Standards are a valuable tool for organizations seeking to report on their sustainability performance and demonstrate their commitment to sustainability and transparency.

1.       General Disclosures, which provide an overview of the organization and its sustainability reporting practices.

General Disclosures are a part of the GRI Standards and provide an overview of the organization and its sustainability reporting practices. These disclosures are intended to give context and background information that can help stakeholders understand the organization's sustainability performance.

General Disclosures cover the following areas:

Organizational Profile:

This section provides information about the organization's identity, governance structure, and operations. It includes details such as the organization's legal form, ownership structure, and location(s) of its operations.

Strategy and Analysis:

This section provides information on the organization's sustainability strategy and how it has been developed. It also includes information on how the organization identifies and prioritizes sustainability issues.

Ethics and Integrity:

This section provides information on the organization's values and ethical principles, and how it promotes these throughout the organization. It also includes information on how the organization manages ethical and integrity issues.

Governance: 

This section provides information on the organization's governance structure, including the roles and responsibilities of the board of directors and other governance bodies.

Stakeholder Engagement: 

This section provides information on how the organization engages with its stakeholders, including who its stakeholders are and how it communicates with them.

Report Parameters: 

This section provides information on the reporting process, including the reporting period, the scope of the report, and any changes in reporting methods.

Summary: General Disclosures are important because they provide context for the specific sustainability issues that are reported in the rest of the GRI Standards. By providing a comprehensive overview of the organization's sustainability performance, General Disclosures help stakeholders better understand the organization's sustainability practices and performance, which can help build trust and credibility.

2. Specific Standard Disclosures, which cover a range of sustainability topics such as governance, human rights, labor practices, environmental impacts, and community engagement

Specific Standard Disclosures are a part of the GRI Standards that cover a wide range of sustainability topics. These disclosures are intended to help organizations report on their sustainability performance in a consistent, transparent, and credible manner.

The Specific Standard Disclosures are organized into several topic areas, including:

Economic:

This section covers issues such as economic performance, market presence, and economic impact. It includes disclosures on topics such as revenue, investments, and economic contributions to the community.

Environmental: 

This section covers issues such as energy, water, and waste management, as well as impacts on biodiversity and the environment. It includes disclosures on topics such as greenhouse gas emissions, water consumption, and waste generation and disposal.

Social: 

This section covers issues such as labor practices, human rights, and community engagement. It includes disclosures on topics such as employment practices, health and safety, and human rights due diligence.

Supply Chain: 

This section covers issues related to the organization's supply chain, including supplier screening, supplier performance, and supplier relationships.

Other Disclosures: 

This section includes additional disclosures that are not covered by the other sections, such as product responsibility and anti-corruption.

Each topic area includes a set of specific disclosures that organizations are encouraged to report on. These disclosures are intended to provide detailed information on the organization's sustainability performance in each area.

By reporting on Specific Standard Disclosures, organizations can demonstrate their commitment to sustainability and transparency, and provide stakeholders with valuable information on their sustainability practices and performance. Reporting on these disclosures can also help organizations identify areas for improvement and develop strategies to address sustainability challenges.

3. Management Approach Disclosures, which explain how the organization manages and addresses sustainability issues:

Management Approach Disclosures are a part of the GRI Standards that provide information on how organizations manage and address sustainability issues. These disclosures are intended to help stakeholders understand the organization's approach to sustainability management and how it integrates sustainability considerations into its decision-making processes.

The Management Approach Disclosures cover the same topic areas as the Specific Standard Disclosures, including economic, environmental, social, and supply chain issues. However, unlike the Specific Standard Disclosures, which provide specific information on the organization's sustainability performance, the Management Approach Disclosures provide information on the organization's approach to managing sustainability issues.

For each topic area, the Management Approach Disclosures include the following information:

Description of the management approach: 

This section describes the organization's approach to managing the sustainability issue, including its policies, procedures, and systems.

Relevant sustainability topics and concerns:

This section identifies the key sustainability topics and concerns related to the issue, and explains how the organization has identified and prioritized these issues.

Stakeholder engagement:

This section explains how the organization engages with its stakeholders on the issue, including who its stakeholders are and how it communicates with them.

Evaluation of the management approach: 

This section explains how the organization evaluates the effectiveness of its management approach, and how it uses this information to improve its sustainability performance.

By reporting on Management Approach Disclosures, organizations can demonstrate their commitment to sustainability management and transparency, and provide stakeholders with valuable information on their approach to managing sustainability issues. Reporting on these disclosures can also help organizations identify areas for improvement and develop strategies to address sustainability challenges.

 

List of the current GRI Standards:

 

GRI 101: Foundation (click here for details)

Provides an overview of the GRI Standards and how they should be used.

GRI 102: General Disclosures(click for details)

Provides general principles and requirements for reporting on sustainability topics, including the organization's sustainability context, stakeholder engagement, and reporting processes.

GRI 200: Economic (click for details)

Provides guidance on reporting economic performance, including information on the organization's economic contributions, impacts, and risk management.

GRI 300: Environmental (click for details)

Provides guidance on reporting environmental performance, including information on the organization's impacts on the environment, resource use, and emissions.

GRI 400: Social (click for details)

Provides guidance on reporting social performance, including information on the organization's impacts on human rights, labor practices, community involvement, and product responsibility.

GRI 500: Disclosure on Management Approach (click for details)

Provides guidance on reporting the organization's management approach to sustainability topics, including governance, strategy, risk management, and stakeholder engagement.

GRI 600: Sector Disclosures (click for details)

Provides guidance on sector-specific sustainability issues and disclosures, including the automotive, construction, financial services, food and beverage, and oil and gas sectors.

These Standards provide a comprehensive set of guidelines for sustainability reporting and are used by companies, governments, and other organizations around the world. They are updated every few years to ensure that they remain relevant and up-to-date with changing global issues and sustainability trends.