GRI | Global Reporting Initiative

GRI: Reporting only what matters

gri

GRI is an international independent organization that publishes CSR reporting guidelines.

The guidelines are split into general and specific standard disclosures. General disclosures mainly refer to the CSR strategy of the company, as well as its business model and governance profile. Specific disclosures directly relate to CSR topics like CO2 emissions, child labor, sustainable procurement, and so on. The specificity of GRI is that organizations can choose the topics to be reported according to their importance for the company and for the company’s stakeholders (impacted parties like clients, shareholders, local communities).

Further information

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Our services

Competitor analysis

You would like to launch a GRI report but have no idea where to start? We can gather much information from your competitors and partners. It will enable your company to know the sectorial issues and address them.

You provide a list of competitors and partners to be investigated. We conduct a benchmark on the basis of available public data from your competitors, suppliers and clients based on our knowledge and experience in GRI reporting.

What is included?

  • Introductory call
  • Study of up to 20 companies showing what topics are included in their reports, if the topics are present in their materiality matrix
  • Furthermore: the sectorial issues, recommendations from our side
Advantages:

  • Scalable product (which companies you want and need, special requests)
  • Synthetic source of information
  • Tool for decision-making
  • Recommendations from CSR experts

Materiality Matrix

G4-Guidelines specificities lie in the reporting principles, where it is important to report on only what matters and to consult stakeholders. The most common way to fulfill these requirements is to draw a materiality matrix.

Our process is the following:

  • Benchmark which leads to a shortlist of potential material aspects
  • Survey among the decision-makers to rate them
  • Stakeholder engagement process to get their feedback
  • Synthesis in materiality matrix

What is included?

  • Study of up to 20 companies showing what topics are included in their reports, if the topics are present in their materiality matrix, the sectorial topics
  • Shortlist of potential topics with their “boundaries” (where they occur)
  • Survey designed by us on this basis, to be filled by the decision-makers
  • A materiality matrix and a list of material topics and boundaries
Advantages:

  • Time-saving solution: no workshop
  • Concrete results based on your sector
  • Decision-making tool for the report contents and the CSR strategy

Data compilation

The materials aspects are identified, but now you wonder which data will match the GRI requirements. We can help you collect the right data and fill the GRI Index.

We identify what is existing, what is missing, if the information matches GRI requirements, and if the mandatory information is present. You assist in the data collection process by providing information, and update the CSR report.

What is included?

  • Gap analysis of what is missing with list of documents to be sent
  • Analysis of the new documents by us, check if they are in line
  • If not, then we help you change them or provide more
  • Deliverable: gross data per aspect (text and indicators)
  • Delivery of GRI index to be added to the report
  • Proofread by us
Advantages:

  • Reliable information
  • Compliance with GRI report
  • Scalable: you choose the structure of your report and how you want the gross contents to be delivered
  • Time-saving: you can focus on the communication itself, not the technical aspects

GRI 360° solution

You want a GRI report but have no idea what your peers are doing, what a materiality matrix is or whether the current data is sufficient? Then you can opt for the 360° solution.

We will:

  • Conduct a benchmark
  • Provide a materiality matrix and list of aspects
  • Conduct the data compilation process along with the GRI index.

What is included?

  • Study up to 20 companies showing what topics are included in their reports, if the topics are present in their materiality matrix, the sectorial topics
  • Shortlist of potential topics with their “boundaries” (where they occur)
  • Survey designed by us on this basis, to be filled by the decision-makers
  • A materiality matrix and list of material topics and boundaries
  • Gap analysis of what is missing with list of documents to be sent, analysis of the new documents by us, check if they are in line. We also help you change them or provide more.
  • Overview of aspects (text and indicators)
  • Proofread by us
  • Delivery of GRI index to be added to the report
Advantages:

  • Turnkey solution
  • Time-saving
  • Scalable
  • Compliance with GRI report
More about the GRI process

The GRI process prescribes certain principles for the report’s content as well for its quality, e.g. concerning diligence, comparability, reliability and completeness of the presented information. With regards to content, the principles are stakeholder integration, completeness (all important CSR fields should be covered), sustainability context (how can the company’s activities be seen as a whole?) and materiality (priorization of the most important CSR areas).

The implementation of these principles normally results in a materiality matrix (with the topics which are seen as being important by the stakeholders and the company) and a list of the material aspects incl. description.

Why GRI at all??

  • Measurement and control of progess becomes possible
  • CSR strategy and economic interest are brought in line
  • Only material topics are reported
  • Acknowledged standard which includes stakeholders
  • Data can be compared over a period of time