SDG Reporting and Assessment

GRI and the SDGs

Alyson Genovese

Director, USA & Canada

19 April 2018

What is GRI? International independent organization that

has pioneered sustainability reporting for two decades. We

help businesses and governments understand and

communicate their impact on critical sustainability issues.

Our VISION: A thriving global community that lifts

humanity and enhances the resources on which all life

depends.

Our MISSION: To empower decisions that create social,

environmental and economic benefits for everyone

Reporting Today

45,000+ Sustainability Reports registered in the SDD

92% of Global250 issue sustainability reports – 74% use GRI

315 of the FT Europe 500 use GRI

85% of S&P 500 issue sustainability reports – 68% use GRI

GRI-based Sustainability Reports:

• More thorough, more complete

• Higher EcoVadis scores

• Easier to navigate

• Better quality information

Sources: KPMG, G&A Institute, CSE, FT

Our Focus Areas

Create standards

and guidance to

advance

sustainable

development

1 2

Harmonize the

sustainability

landscape

3

Lead efficient and

effective

sustainability

reporting

4

Drive effective use

of sustainability

information to

improve

performance

What are Characteristics of a “Good” Report?

• References an international standard

• Reflects input/commitment from company’s highest governance body

• Applies principles of Materiality & Boundary Setting and Stakeholder Inclusiveness

• Sets targets & measuring progress towards them

• Meets all regulatory requirements in local markets

• Incorporates at least partial level of assurance

Sustainable Development Goals

Sustainable Development Goals

The SDGs call for worldwide joint action among governments, business and civil society to solve pressing global sustainability issues.

In 2017, GRI and the UN Global Compact launched a three year initiative, Business

Reporting on the SDGs, a multi-stakeholder Action Platform aimed at facilitating corporate reporting on the SDGs.

List of business

disclosures

Across the SDGS

1 2

Publication

on best practice

SDGs reporting

3

Further integration

of SDGs into

frameworks

4

SDG Data

aggregation

Expected Outcomes:

Voluntary National Reviews

countries presented their VNR

consulted private sector for the review

refer to CSR & sustainability reporting

2017

43

93%

59%

2016

22

85%

50%

Private Sector Response to SDGs43% of G250 reporters link CR activities to the SDGs

43% of G250

reporters link

CR activities to

the SDGs

39% of N100

reporters link

CR activities to

the SDGs

Top sector in G250

reporting on the SDGs

1. Utilities

2. Automotive

3. Retail

6%

align to specific targets & measure

contributions

45% align their strategy to SDGs

79% acknowledge

the SDGs

WBCSD companies members

Reporting Matters Report 2017

KPMG 2017

Survey report

GRI Reporting, SDG referencesFor publication years 2016 -2017*

Data from GRI’s Sustainability Disclosure Database, Retrieved 13 November 2017

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

Globally

United States of America

Japan

SDG reference No SDG reference

* Report registration is an ongoing process, hence these are not the final numbers – it is only what GRI is aware of

Currently Available Tools

• Guides companies to

align their strategies,

measure and manage

their contributions to

the SDGs

• A written guide and

two online tool

www.sdgcompass.org

SDG Compass

• Categorize targets and

create list of existing

business indicators

• Create common language

for SDG reporting

• Identify gaps (missing

indicators)

Analysis of Goals & Targets

LATER PHASEPHASE 1 (2017)

On the Horizon

Other Efforts to Support SDGs through Disclosure

• Supporting Smart Policy by UN agencies, statistical agencies and governments

• Engage with stock markets, sustainability reporting as a tool for Finance for Development

• Alignment and linkages of business and national indicators

• Engage with SMEs and enable sustainability reporting

SDG Target 12.6 Live Tracker

Target 12.6 – “Encourage companies, especially large and

transnational companies, to adopt sustainable practices

and to integrate sustainability information into their

reporting cycle”

• Shows policy development and sustainability

reporting data by country

• Search by country, region, sector, size of the

company, year and report type

• Developed by GRI and Tata

Consultancy Serviceshttp://database.globalreporting.org/SDG-12-6

info@globalreporting.org

www.globalreporting.org

Barbara Strozzilaan 336

1083 HN Amsterdam

The Netherlands

Amsterdam – Beijing – Bogota – Johannesburg – New Delhi – New York – São Paulo

THANK YOU