GRI Helps Companies Comply with Directive on Non-Financial Reporting

AMSTERDAM, February 3, 2015 /3BL Media/ - Today, GRI, architect of the world’s most widely used sustainability reporting framework, has released the publication “Making headway in Europe”, which sets out the links between GRI’s G4 Guidelines and the recently adopted European Directive on disclosure of non-financial and diversity information. The linkage document specifies how G4 can be used to gather information, and formulate responses, to each element of the European Directive.

 “This linkage document shows why organizations that fall under the Directive should use G4, and how they can do so,” said GRI’s Deputy Chief Executive Teresa Fogelberg. “This publication is yet another example of GRI’s commitment to advancing corporate transparency, as well as sustainable and inclusive growth within the European Union and beyond.

”Following the adoption by the Council of the European Union the Directive entered into force in December 2014. As a result, 6,000 large, public interest enterprises, within the European Union, will have to report on a number of sustainability matters. The Directive covers issues such as environmental, social, and labor impacts, along with anti-corruption, bribery, and respect for human rights. The reports or statements, produced in response to the Directive, will also need to include a description of the policies, outcomes and the risks related to those topics.

“G4 offers comprehensive guidance for companies, allowing them to fulfill the transparency expectations formulated in the Directive.” said GRI’s Director Reporting Standard Bastian Buck.

GRI’s latest linkage document “Making headway in Europe” can be downloaded for free in the GRI Resource Library. For more information please visit the GRI website or contact Davion Ford, GRI Media Relations Manager (ford@globalreporting.org). 

About GRI
GRI is a non-profit organization working in the public interest towards a vision of a sustainable global economy where organizations manage their economic, environmental, social, and governance performance and impacts responsibly. To date, more than 5,000 organizations have used the GRI Guidelines for their sustainability reporting across more than 90 countries. More than 20,000 reports have been registered in GRI’s Sustainability Disclosure Database and 23 countries reference the Guidelines in policies. GRI’s activities are two-fold: firstly the provision of sustainability reporting guidelines and secondly, the development of engagement activities, products and partnerships to enhance the value of sustainability reporting for organizations.