Overview
Introduced: 1997
Effective from: Ongoing (updated standards introduced periodically)
Last modified: Latest major update in 2021
Region(s): Global
About
The Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) is an international independent standards organization that provides a comprehensive framework for sustainability reporting. It helps businesses, governments, and other organizations understand and communicate their impacts on critical sustainability issues, such as climate change, human rights, and corruption.
GRI standards are the most widely used sustainability reporting framework globally, with over 78% of the world’s largest 250 corporations reporting in accordance with GRI Standards.
Criteria for compliance
Entities covered
Any organization, regardless of size, sector, or location, can use GRI standards to report on sustainability impacts. It is particularly relevant for organizations seeking to communicate their sustainability performance to a broad range of stakeholders, including investors, employees, customers, and regulators.
Reporting structure
The GRI framework is divided into two primary groups: Universal Standards and Topic-specific Standards.
Universal Standards (100 Series)
- GRI 101: Foundation 2016
- GRI 102: General Disclosures 2016
- GRI 103: Management Approach 2016
Topic-specific standards
- GRI 200: Economic Standards
- GRI 300: Environmental Standards
- GRI 400: Social Standards
Access the full list of standards here.
Compliance timelines
GRI does not impose specific deadlines; companies typically integrate GRI reporting into their annual or sustainability reports, aligned with their financial reporting cycles.
Disclosure requirements
In accordance designation
- To claim that a report has been prepared in accordance with GRI Standards, organizations must follow the guidelines provided in GRI 101: Foundation. Reports will be organization-specific but will include an “in accordance” designation.
- Organizations must disclose material topics that reflect the organization’s significant economic, environmental, and social impacts or substantively influence the assessments and decisions of stakeholders.
Third-party auditing
GRI does not require third-party auditing, but it strongly encourages external assurance to enhance the credibility and reliability of the reported information.
Penalties for non-compliance
GRI is a voluntary framework; therefore, there are no direct penalties for noncompliance. However, failing to adhere to GRI standards could impact an organization’s credibility and stakeholder trust.
