A record number of 3,095 formal feedback submissions were made by sustainability experts, organizations and professionals on the next generation of the Global Reporting Initiative’s Sustainability Reporting Guidelines during two 90 day Public Comment Periods, GRI has announced.
GRI is now working on the next generation of its Sustainability Reporting Guidelines – G4. As part of the development process, GRI held two public comment periods. The first, which was held from August to November 2011, aimed to gather opinions on sustainability reporting, through an online survey. The second comment period, which was open from June to September 2012, aimed to gather the public’s feedback on the G4 Exposure Draft, and aimed to ensure the Guidelines are relevant and useful for all organizations worldwide.
Some 1832 submissions were provided during the first comment period, and 1263 during the second, GRI says. People also provided feedback during workshops that GRI held around the world: 470 people attended 19 workshops during the first comment period, and a total of 1768 people attended 49 workshops during the second.
GRI develops reporting guidance through a process involving thousands of experts worldwide. Working groups with members representing business, financial markets, civil society organizations, labor, and mediating institutions (including accountancy, consultancy and academic institutions) develop proposals for new guidance. These proposals are then exposed for public feedback for 90 days. Feedback is gathered and analyzed, and the working groups develop a final draft for approval by GRI’s governance bodies.
GRI says that it uses this multi-stakeholder because the GRI Guidelines are free for public use and, as such, the public should be involved in their development.
The G4 development is focused on seven main areas: boundary, application levels, governance and remuneration, supply chain, disclosures on management approach.
G4’s GHG reporting content is designed to more closely aligns with the GHG Protocol set of standards jointly released by the World Resources Institute and the World Business Council for Sustainable Development, and the ISO 14064 standard produced by the ISO.
The new guidance for greenhouse gas emissions and anti-corruption is still available for public comment until 12 November.
For more information and to provide feedback click here.
