Global Reporting Initiative

GRI
Founded1997 Boston, United States
TypeNon-governmental organization
PurposeSustainability reporting
HeadquartersAmsterdam, Netherlands
Region served
Worldwide
Eelco van der Enden
Deputy Chief Executive
NA
Lars Wagemans
Main organ
Secretariat (administrative office) elected by the annual general meeting
AffiliationsOECD, UNEP, United Nations Global Compact, ISO
Websitewww.globalreporting.org
Formerly called
Global Reporting Initiative

The Global Reporting Initiative (known as GRI) is an international independent standards organization that helps businesses, governments, and other organizations understand and communicate their impacts on issues such as climate change, human rights, and corruption.

Since its first draft guidelines were published in March 1999,[1][2] GRI's voluntary sustainability reporting framework has been adopted by multinational organizations, governments, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), NGOs, and industry groups. Over 10,000 companies from more than 100 countries use GRI.[3] According to the 26 October 2022 KPMG Survey of Sustainability Reporting, 78% of the world’s biggest 250 companies by revenue (the G250) and 68% of the top 100 businesses in 58 countries (5,800 companies known as the N100) have adopted the GRI Standards for reporting. GRI is used as a reporting standard by a majority of the companies surveyed in all regions.[4][5]

GRI thus provides the world's most widely used sustainability reporting standards.[6][7][8] Under increasing pressure from different stakeholder groups, such as governments, consumers and investors, to be more transparent about their environmental, economic, and social impacts, many companies publish a sustainability report, also known as a corporate social responsibility (CSR) or environmental, social, and governance (ESG) report. GRI's framework for sustainability reporting helps companies identify, gather, and report this information in a clear and comparable manner. Developed by the Global Sustainability Standards Board (GSSB), the GRI Standards are the first global standards for sustainability reporting and are a free public good.[9]

The GRI Standards have a modular structure, making them easier to update and adapt. Three series of Standards support the reporting process. The GRI Universal Standards apply to all organizations and cover core sustainability issues related to a company’s impact on the economy, society, and the environment. The GRI Sector Standards apply to specific sectors, particularly those with the highest environmental impact, such as fossil fuels. The GRI Topic Standards list disclosures relevant to a particular topic area.[10][3][9][11] GRI Standards and reporting criteria are reviewed every three years by the Global Sustainability Standards Board (GSSB), an independent body created by GRI.[3] The most recent of GRI's reporting frameworks are the revised Universal Standards, which were published in October 2021, and came into effect for reporting in January 2023.[10][9]

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference Folkert was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ Pedersen, Esben R.G. (2015). Corporate Social Responsibility. London: SAGE Publishing. p. 107. ISBN 9780857022448.
  3. ^ a b c "What is the GRI reporting framework? | Sustain.Life". www.sustain.life. Retrieved 12 July 2023.
  4. ^ "Big shifts, small steps - KPMG Global". KPMG. 15 June 2023. Retrieved 12 July 2023.
  5. ^ "GRI - Four-in-five largest global companies report with GRI". www.globalreporting.org. Retrieved 12 July 2023.
  6. ^ Adams, Carol A.; Alhamood, Abdhullah; He, Xinwu; Tian, Jie; Wang, Le; Wang, Yi (2022). "The development and implementation of GRI Standards: practice and policy issues". In Adams, C. A. (ed.). Handbook of accounting and sustainability. Cheltenham, UK Northampton, MA, USA: Edward Elgar Publishing. ISBN 978-1800373501.
  7. ^ Zsóka, Ágnes; Vajkai, Éva (1 March 2018). "Corporate sustainability reporting: Scrutinising the requirements of comparability, transparency and reflection of sustainability performance". Society and Economy. 40 (1): 19–44. doi:10.1556/204.2018.40.1.3. ISSN 1588-9726.
  8. ^ Cite error: The named reference Whitaker was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  9. ^ a b c "GRI Standards". Retrieved 11 July 2023.
  10. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference Quelier was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  11. ^ "A Short Introduction to the GRI Standards" (PDF). www.globalreporting.org. Retrieved 12 July 2023.