getting started with GRI

Jun 15

published 6.15.22

This piece is the first installment of the Sarahs Explain It All Disclosure series, which demystifies ESG disclosure frameworks by answering the questions our reporting clients ask most. Sarah Kempke and Sarah Fencott (The Sarahs) are both former GRI staffers with a deep knowledge of the framework and it’s evolution. Have a specific question you’d like answered? Drop us a line.

Q: I’m starting the sustainability reporting process for the first time, why should I use the GRI Standards?

The Sarahs: It can be daunting embarking on your first sustainability report. Just remember there’s no right or wrong approach - you’re at the start of a journey - one that will evolve, shift direction and gain momentum over time. The sustainability reporting landscape is forever changing, and the frameworks, regulations and disclosures must evolve to keep pace - so be prepared for a process that doesn’t stand still!

One tool that has evolved in step with the changing landscape is the GRI Standards. You could think of these as a holistic set of guidelines, covering economic, environmental and social topics, that have evolved through an independent, 20+ year, multi-stakeholder process which underpins their relevance and applicability. They’ve been designed for comparability across time, organizations, sectors, and regions.

At their core sits the double materiality concept, which will help you disclose data on both the inward impacts affecting your company and the outward impacts your company has. Taken as a whole, this information provides you and your stakeholders with a useful indication of organizational longevity and the organization’s overall contribution to sustainable development. They’ll also help you create a solid data set, year on year, which you can use to inform your wider organizational strategy.

Q: How do I decide which disclosures to report on?

The Sarahs: Let’s face it, there are a lot of disclosures in the GRI Standards. Split into three categories, they cover Universal Standards (GRI 1-3), Sector Standards, and Topic Standards. Under the updated Universal Standards, published in 2021, you can choose to report in accordance with the GRI Standards (more comprehensive), or with reference to the GRI Standards (more freeform).

Reporting in accordance with the GRI Standards gives the most complete picture of your sustainability impacts, but it is a lot.

For those starting out, reporting with reference to the Standards gets you on the map without needing to report every last disclosure.

When reporting with reference to the GRI Standards, we still recommend reporting as comprehensively as you can. Run through GRI 2: General Disclosures to select those that you can report easily, or with a little extra effort. Reporting these disclosures puts your organization and its impacts in context, and collecting this information can up your sustainability management game. Reviewing the disclosures you don’t report can hold up a mirror - showing areas for improvement and stretch goals for the future.

Once you’ve settled on general disclosures, select additional disclosures that provide information about your material topics - helping to evaluate impacts and track progress toward your future goals. These can come from the GRI Topic Standards, GRI Sector Standards, or any other sector- or impact-specific standard, including SASB, TCFD, or industry specific reporting frameworks. Opting for a targeted selection of these disclosures will help you to efficiently monitor and manage your material topics.

Altogether, reporting on a strategically selected set of GRI Standard disclosures will provide a comprehensive and transparent picture of your impacts - while establishing a solid foundation for your ESG program going forward that can in turn inform your greater organizational strategy.

If you need support or guidance when planning out your first report, we can help! Contact us for more information.