‘Next step’ in sustainability reporting arrives in the Netherlands
The next generation of the Global Reporting Initiative’s Sustainability Reporting Guidelines – G4 – will be launched in the netherlands on 7 November.
The local launch event, hosted and sponsored by Deloitte Netherlands, will provide companies and organizations with a general introduction to G4, the opportunity to hear debate from an expert panel, and the chance to ask questions and share perspectives with their peers.
The gri Guidelines – the most widely used Sustainability Reporting Framework in the world – enable all companies and organizations to report on their economic, environmental, social and governance performance. The latest version, G4, revised and enhanced to reflect important current and future trends in sustainability reporting, was first unveiled at GRI’s 2013 Global Conference in May.
The morning program will feature presentations by Bastian Buck, GRI’s Interim Director, Sustainability Reporting Standard, and Deloitte netherlands CFO Cees de Boer, who will share insights into the sustainability reporting process. A panel of speakers will share their early experiences of using the G4 Guidelines.
In the afternoon gri will launch the new GRI Taxonomy 2013. The GRI 2013 Taxonomy enables organizations to disclose their sustainability information in a standard electronic format (XBRL). This provides organizations with better control over the quality and integrity of their sustainability performance data and improves the access to this information by users. The GRI Taxonomy 2013 has been fully updated for use with G4 and has been developed in collaboration with Deloitte.
GRI Chief Executive Ernst Ligteringen said: “Material sustainability information can help companies to adapt and respond to the changing demands of markets, investors and regulators, leading to smarter, more sustainable business models and better strategic decision making.
“By placing an even greater emphasis on the concept of materiality, G4 will support reporting organizations to concentrate on the economic, environmental, and social impacts that really matter to their business. At the same time, disclosure of material information builds trust and enhances the reputation of the company.
“This event is an opportunity for Dutch companies and organizations to learn first-hand about the new features and improvements in G4, to better understand the implications of the renewed focus on materiality, and to explore what the changes in G4 will mean for practitioners on the ground.”
Udeke Huiskamp, Senior Manager Sustainability Services at Deloitte said: “This event is an important step in helping GRI reporters to prepare more focused and relevant sustainability reports which inform stakeholders about the most material sustainability impacts of the organization and drive sustainable performance.”
The event will take place on 7 November at Deloitte, Wilhelminakade 1, Rotterdam, 3072 AP Netherlands, from 9am to 4.45pm. Please note that the event is fully booked and GRI cannot accept any new registrations.