GRI - Global Reporting Initiative - is providing all stakeholders with the opportunity to help determine the areas that the Global Sustainability Standards Board (GSSB) should focus on over the next three years.
Reflecting the GSSB’s commitment to inclusive and multi-stakeholder engagement, a public comment period for the GSSB Work Program for 2020-2022 has been launched and is open until 23 June.
The draft Work Program identifies priorities for reviewing and updating GRI Standards, and consideration for new topic-specific Standards. It also includes plans to continue the progression of the new Sector Program, by building on the two current pilot projects – for oil, gas and coal, and agriculture – and deciding the next sectors to be prioritized. The GSSB is committed to review all existing GRI Standards every 4 years to guarantee that they reflect the global multi-stakeholder consensus and continue to promote the public interest.
Priorities for review will be identified by the GSSB based on stakeholder feedback received, including through the GSSB’s public consultations on the work program, as well as on research carried out by the Standards Division and third parties. In addition to the ongoing review of existing GRI Standards the GSSB is committed to have 5 new topic-specific Standards under development concurrently to ensure that the GRI Standards reflect the ongoing evolution of the sustainable development agenda, are responsive to stakeholder expectations and continue to promote the public interest.
New Standards might be required in order to address sustainability topics not covered by the GRI Standards, including those identified through the Sector Program, and reflect changes in the structure of the GRI Standards. The GSSB will publish a schedule for the development of new topic-specific Standards annually between 2020 and 2022 on the GSSB website.
The GSSB will continue to review and refine the initial list of high-impact sectors, and related priority groups, based on the learnings from the pilot projects on the oil, gas and coal and agriculture sectors, as well as learnings from the overall program implementation and from stakeholder feedback. The scope and name of individual sectors may be adjusted as a result of research and stakeholder input at the commencement and throughout each sector project. The first sectors to prioritize (Priority Group 1) are upstream sectors providing for fundamental needs (e.g. food, textiles, energy) or for basic materials on which other sectors depend (e.g. metals, minerals, chemicals, cement, wood).
Priority Group 1 sectors: Basic needs and basic materials
Agriculture, banking, chemicals, construction materials, forestry, paper, and rubber, iron, steel, and aluminum processing
Priority Group 2 Sectors:
Food, medicines, manufacturing and insurance, food processing, industrial manufacturing of machinery and equipment, pharmaceuticals manufacturing.
Priority Group 3 Sectors:
Transportation, tourism, tech, and real estate, hotels, resorts and casinos, media and communication services.
Priority Group 4 sectors:
Retail, services, stock exchanges, electronics manufacturing, medical equipment, trading and distribution
The full list is available on GRI's website.
