Barbara Strozzilaan 336
1083 HN Amsterdam
The Netherlands
gssbsecretariat@globalreporting.org

Item 03 – GSSB Work Program 20202022
For GSSB informationDate

20 October 2020

Meeting

22 October 2020

Description This paper presents the GSSB Work Program 2020-2022 and the accompanying
Project Schedules 2020 and 2021.
This version of the GSSB Work Program 2020-2022 and the accompanying
project schedules are presented for approval by the GSSB.

This document has been prepared by the GRI Standards Division. It is provided as a convenience toobservers at meetings of the Global Sustainability Standards Board (GSSB), to assist them infollowing the Board’s discussion. It does not represent an official position of the GSSB. Board
positions are set out in the GRI Sustainability Reporting Standards. The GSSB is the independent
standard setting body of GRI. For more information visit www.globalreporting.org.
© GRI 2020

1

ContentsPreamble ....................................................................................................................................................................... 3
Introduction ................................................................................................................................................................. 3
Review of existing GRI Standards ........................................................................................................................... 4
Development of new topic-specific Standards .................................................................................................... 4
Sector Program ........................................................................................................................................................... 5
Issuance of FAQs, Guidance and authoritative interpretations....................................................................... 6
Project Schedule 2020 ............................................................................................................................................... 7
Project Schedule 2021 ............................................................................................................................................... 8

Page 2 of 82Preamble

34

The Global Sustainability Standards Board (GSSB) recognizes that its Work Program 2020-2022 ispublished during a time of unprecedented interest in the practice of sustainability reporting.

5678Interest in sustainability reporting in general, and the GRI Standards in particular, is at an all-timehigh. Record levels of practitioners download the GRI Standards, and there is continuous growth in
the number of reporters who choose to base their public sustainability reporting on the GRIStandards.

910111213

Over the course of recent months, key stakeholders and institutions from all constituencies havecome forward to lay out their respective perspectives on what a future sustainability reporting
regime should look like. Concerns about reporting burden and quality and usability of reported data,
as well as a strong interest in making sustainability reporting a mandatory practice, are among thekey drivers for this important debate.

1415161718

As the entity responsible for maintaining the world’s most widely used and comprehensive
sustainability reporting standards, the GSSB acknowledges its central role and responsibility tocontribute to the ongoing debate. The GSSB is committed to an effective future sustainability
reporting regime and one that supports the public interest in addressing the mounting global
sustainable development challenges.

1920
21

To this end, the GSSB strongly believes in a vision of a single, coherent global set of sustainability
reporting standards alongside, and complementary to, the established international financial
reporting regime.

22232425

The GSSB is committed to playing a leadership role in the consolidation efforts that are underway.
Through its standard-setting activities, the GSSB aims to reduce the burden on reportingorganizations and facilitate an informed dialogue and decision-making based on consistent andcomparable information.

26272829

To accomplish this, the GSSB will ensure that all its standard-setting activities are designed andorganized with the aim to achieve a tangible, practical convergence of all leading standards,
frameworks and similar initiatives. All standards projects will be designed to deliver on this vision,
with the explicit commitment to collaborate with all relevant standard setters and frameworks.

30313233

The GSSB recognizes that the leading role of the GRI Standards in the global field of sustainability
reporting carries an expectation to also lead the field in delivering on its promise of a globally
harmonized set of standards. With this Work Program, the GSSB explains its approach to making
this promise a reality.

34

Introduction

3536

The Global Sustainability Standards Board has sole responsibility for setting the first globally
accepted standards for sustainability reporting – the GRI Sustainability Reporting Standards.

37383940

Established as an independent operating entity under the auspices of GRI, the GSSB is formed of 15
members representing a range of expertise and multi-stakeholder perspectives on sustainability
reporting. The GSSB operates under the GSSB Terms of Reference to oversee the development ofthe GRI Standards according to a formally defined due process.

41

The GSSB works exclusively in the public interest and according to the vision and mission of GRI.

Page 3 of 8

4243This document outlines the work program of the GSSB for the years 2020-2022. The
implementation of the work program is dependent on the budget allocation by the GRI.

44
45
46

Based on the available budget the GSSB will publish a project schedule on an annual basis between
2020 and 2022 on the GSSB website. The project schedule will provide an indication of how thework program outlined in this document can be implemented.

47

Review of existing GRI Standards

48
49

The GSSB is committed to reviewing all existing GRI Standards every 4 years to guarantee that theyreflect the global multi-stakeholder consensus and continue to promote the public interest.

50
51
52
53
54

Priorities for review will be identified by the GSSB based on stakeholder feedback received, including
through the GSSB’s public consultations on the work program, as well as on research carried out by
the Standards Division and third parties. In all cases, the GSSB will identify the most pressing needs
and the most promising opportunities to effect convergence and harmonization among sustainability
reporting standards, frameworks, and similar initiatives.

55
56

The GSSB will issue a comprehensive list of priority projects for the review of existing topic-specificGRI Standards for the coming years in 2021.

57
58

The GSSB will publish a project schedule which covers the review of Standards annually between
2020 and 2022 on the GSSB website.

59
60

Based on the priorities identified by the GSSB, the Standards Division will undertake this work in linewith the Due Process Protocol.

Development of new topic-specific62Standards
61

63
64
65
66

In addition to the ongoing review of existing GRI Standards, the GSSB is committed to have five new
topic-specific Standards under development concurrently. This is to ensure that the GRI Standards
reflect the ongoing evolution of the sustainable development agenda, are responsive to stakeholderexpectations, and continue to promote the public interest.

676869Priorities for the development of new topic-specific Standards will be identified by the GSSB basedon stakeholder feedback received, including through the GSSB’s public consultations on the work
program, as well as on research carried out by the Standards Division and third parties.

70717273

New Standards might be required in order to address sustainability topics not covered by the GRI
Standards, including those identified through the Sector Program, or to reflect changes in thestructure of the GRI Standards. New Standards may also be necessary to achieve the anticipated,necessary harmonization of standards and frameworks.

74
75

The GSSB will issue a comprehensive list of priority projects for the development of new topicspecific GRI Standards for the coming years in 2021.

Page 4 of 8

76
77

The GSSB will publish a project schedule which covers the development of new topic-specificStandards annually between 2020 and 2022 on the GSSB website.

78
79

Based on the priorities identified by the GSSB, the Standards Division will undertake this work in linewith the Due Process Protocol.

80

Sector Program

8182
8384Sustainability reporting by organizations operating within specific sectors has not always consistently
addressed those sectors’ most significant impacts. The GSSB has approved the GRI Sector Programto develop GRI Sector Standards to address this issue. The Sectors Standards will form an integral
part of the GRI Standards.

85868788

Authoritative information on sector-specific impacts offered by the GRI Sector Standards will
provide clarity and focus for sustainability reporting on the topics that matter most from asustainable development perspective. This information can both reflect and set stakeholder
expectations for the sector’s sustainability reporting.

89909192

The aim for the GRI Sector Program is ultimately to cover around 40 high-impact sectors. Priority
Group 1 provides an indication of the prioritization of the high-impact sectors for the time coveredby this Work Program. For a full initial list, and related priority groups, consult Item 02 – GRI Sector
Standards Program – Revised list of prioritized sectors published on 2 October 2020.

9394
95
96
97
98

The GSSB will continue to review and refine the initial list of high-impact sectors, and related
priority groups, based on the learnings from the pilot projects on the oil, gas, coa,l and agriculture
sectors, as well as learnings from the overall program implementation, opportunities for furtherconvergence and harmonization among standards and frameworks, and from stakeholder feedback.
Future revisions of the list will be discussed in the public GSSB meetings and published on the GSSB
website.

99
100

The scope and names of individual sectors may be adjusted as a result of research and stakeholder
input at the commencement and throughout the development of each sector project.

101
102
103

The first sectors to prioritize (Priority Group 1) are upstream sectors providing for fundamental
needs (e.g. food, textiles, energy), or for basic materials on which other sectors depend (e.g. metals,minerals, chemicals, cement, wood). In addition, banking is included as an essential service.

104

Table 1: Priority Group 1 sectors: Basic materials and needs
MiningFood and beverages
Textiles and apparel
Banking
Insurance
Asset management
Utilities
Renewable energy
Forestry, paper and rubber
Iron, steel and aluminum

Page 5 of 8105106

Based on an evaluation of the pilot projects, the GSSB will select a to be determined number ofadditional Sector Standard projects from the above priority list in the second quarter of 2021.

107
108

The GSSB will publish a project schedule which covers Sector Standard projects annually between
2020 and 2022 on the GSSB website.

109
110

Based on the priorities identified by the GSSB, the Standards Division will undertake this work in linewith the Due Process Protocol.

Issuance of FAQs, Guidance and112
authoritative interpretations
111

113
114

Interested stakeholders can submit questions and feedback to the GSSB about the application of theGRI Standards through standards@globalreporing.org

115
116
117

After reviewing the feedback received, if necessary, the GSSB will issue FAQs or interpretations, or
it will provide additional guidance to address implementation issues identified by the users of theGRI Standards.

Page 6 of 8

118

Project Schedule 2020

119

Review of existing GRI Standards

120

The GSSB aims to complete the following three projects in 2020:

121
122
123
124

1. Phase 1 of the Review of Human Rights-related Standards
2. Review of GRI’s Universal Standards (GRI 101: Foundation, GRI 102: General Disclosures, GRI
103: Management Approach)
3. Review of GRI Waste Disclosures

125
126
127

Based on the budget allocation for 2020, the GSSB is, at the point of issuance of the Work Program
2020-2022, not in a position to commit to the commencement of further projects to review existing
GRI Standards.

128
129
130
131

The GSSB has identified the review of GRI 304: Biodiversity 2016 as a priority project if further budget
becomes available, and is actively pursuing commitment from potential collaborating organizations tobegin work on a new, harmonized and globally relevant biodiversity standard as soon as
circumstances allow.

132133134135Additional priority projects for the review of existing GRI Standards in 2020 will be identified by theGSSB based on the stakeholder feedback received, including through the GSSB’s public consultations
on the Work Program 2020-2022. Pending projects that have previously been approved by the GSSB
will be considered, as well.

136
137

Development of new topic-specific Standards

138
139
140

Based on the budget allocation for 2020, the GSSB is, at the point of issuance of the Work Program,
not in a position to commit to the commencement of projects for the development of new topicspecific Standards.

141
142143
144

Priority projects for the development of new topic-specific GRI Standards in 2020 will be identified
by the GSSB based on the stakeholder feedback received, including through the GSSB’s publicconsultations on the Work Program 2020-2022. Pending projects that have previously been
approved by the GSSB will be considered, as well.

145
146

Sector Program

147
148

The GSSB will continue the first pilot project, the Sector Standard Project for Oil, Gas, and Coal,and commence the second pilot project, the Sector Standard Project for Agriculture and Fishing.

149
150

Based on the budget allocation for 2020, the GSSB is, at the point of issuance of the Work program
2020-2022, not in a position to commit to the commencement of further Sector Standard projects.

Page 7 of 8151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160

161
162
163

164
165
166
167
168
169

Project Schedule 2021
Review of existing GRI Standards

The GSSB aims to complete the following two projects in 2021:
1. Phase 1 of the Review of Human Rights-related Standards
2. Review of GRI’s Universal Standards (GRI 101: Foundation, GRI 102: General Disclosures, GRI
103: Management Approach)
The GSSB has identified the following priority projects for commencement in 2021:
1. Review of GRI 304: Biodiversity 2016
2. Phase II of the Review of Human rights-related Standards
3. Review of Climate Change-related Standards

Development of new topic-specific Standards

The GSSB has identified the following priority project for commencement in 2021:
1. Spills and Leaks

Sector Program
The GSSB aims to complete the following two pilot projects in 2021:
1. Sector Standards Project for Oil, Gas and Coal
2. Sector Standards Project for Agriculture and Fishing
Based on an evaluation of the pilot projects, the GSSB will select a to be determined number ofadditional Sector Standard projects from the priority list in the second quarter of 2021.

Page 8 of 8