Ásthildur Hjaltadóttir

Director Services

Milano, 27 May 2014

The GRI Sustainability Reporting GuidelinesMain Features of G4

Why G4?

Download both parts for free on www.globalreporting.org

G4 Structure

• Part 1: The Reporting Principles and Standard Disclosures

• Part 2: The Implementation Manual

General Standard Disclosures

Specific Standard Disclosures

• Disclosures on Management Approach

• Indicators

G4 Structure

Focus on what matters, where it matters

Focus on what matters, where it matters

Materiality: The report should cover Aspects that:

• Reflect the organization’s significant economic, environmental and social impacts; or

• Substantively influence the assessments and decisions of stakeholders

Focus on what matters, where it matters

• G4 is about identifying critical changes that need to be managed, even if the organization is not (yet) ready to manage it

• G4 is not about identifying allsustainability related topics that the organization monitors. The report should focus on the material topics

Defining Report Content and Boundaries: the Process

Focus on what matters, where it matters

Visual representation of prioritization of Aspects

Example of where the topic of anti-corruption is only relevant to certain entities within the organization

Example of where the topic of child labor is only relevant to certain entities outside of the organization

Example of where the topic of emissions is relevant within and outside of the organization

Focus on what matters, where it matters

a) Explain the process for defining the report content and the Aspect Boundariesb) Explain how the organization has implemented the Reporting Principles for Defining Report Content

General Standard Disclosures

Focus on what matters, where it matters

List all the material Aspects identified in the process for

defining report content

General Standard Disclosures

Two options:

In accordance with G4 Guidelines

Comprehensive

Core

(*) Reasons for omission may apply in exceptional cases

In accordance with G4 Guidelines

(*) Reasons for omission may apply in exceptional cases

In accordance with G4 Guidelines

(*) REASONS FOR OMISSION

In exceptional cases, if it is not possible to disclose certain required information, the report should clearly:

a) Identify the information that has been omitted

b) Explain the reasons why the information has been omitted

There are 4 valid reasons for omission

In accordance with G4 Guidelines

(*) REASONS FOR OMISSION

• not applicable

• confidentiality constraints

• legal prohibitions

• information unavailable

In accordance with G4 Guidelines

• Disclosure on Management Approach

• Supply Chain

• Governance

• Ethics and Integrity

• Energy and Emissions

• Anti-corruption & Public Policy

New or renewed Guidelines content

• OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises

• United Nations Global Compact ‘Ten Principles’

• UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights

Harmonization

Integrated reporting

• Integrates financial and sustainability performance

• G4 is designed for reporting in different report formats

• GRI recommends the use of external assurance

• Not required for ‘in accordance’ Core or Comprehensive

• Report external assurance approach (G4-33)

• External assurance indicated for each Standard Disclosure in the GRI Content Index

Assurance

GRI Content Index

Assurance

• GRI will continue to recognize reports based on G3 and G3.1 Guidelines for up to two full reporting cycles after the launch of G4.

• Reports published after 31 December 2015 should be prepared in accordance with the G4 Guidelines

• GRI recommends that organizations reporting for the first time use the G4 Guidelines

Transition period

Sector Disclosures

• GRI’s Sector Disclosures provide sector-specific disclosures and guidance to be used with the G4 Guidelines

• Reporters to consider this content when defining what is material

• The G4 Sector Disclosures are versions of the 10 GRI G3/G3.1 Sector Supplements reorganized to fit the structure and content of the G4 Guidelines

Available on GRI’s website:

G4 Pioneers Program

Highlights:

• Peer learning & experience sharing

• Provide feedback through questionnaires and online sessions(to GRI Governance bodies)

• 98 reporting organizations (OS) from 38 coutries (diversity of profiles)

• 202 pre-session questionnaires were collected and over 313 questions and 1.025 comments were raised

G4 Monitoring Program

* Data from the Sustainability Disclosure Database as at 16 May 2014

231 G4 Reports(as of May 2014)

6%

22%

41%

21%

6% 4%

Africa

Asia

Europe

Latin America & the Caribbean

Northern America

Oceania

G4 Monitoring Program

* Data from the Sustainability Disclosure Database as at 16 May 2014

Materiality Matters Check(as of May 2014)

42%

58%

Yes No

• Brochure ‘An introduction to G4’

• Overview of changes in Standard Disclosures from G3/G3.1 and G4

• G4 Translations

• G4 Online

• G4 Taxonomy

• G4 Content Index Tool

• G4 Frequently Asked Questions

• Linkage Documents:• Making the Connection: Using the GRI G4

Guidelines to Communicate Progress on the UN Global Compact Principles

• ISO 26000 & G4: How to use the GRI G4 Guidelines and ISO 26000 in conjunction

• GRI Global Conference videos, see: http://vimeo.com/globalreporting

Resources

www.globalreporting.org

G4:

Your sustainability

reporting journey

starts here

For technical enquiries, please email guidelines@globalreporting.org

If you have any feedback, please email

feedback@globalreporting.org