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

GSSB summary of the virtual meeting
held on 9 December 2021
Approved by the GSSB on 10 February 2022

© GRI 2022

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Contents
Participants.............................................................................................................................................. 3
List of abbreviations ................................................................................................................................ 3
Decisions and action items ..................................................................................................................... 4
Session 1: Welcome .............................................................................4Error! Bookmark not defined.
Session 2: Key conclusions of the draft Sector Standard for Coal ......................................................... 4
Session 3: Approval of the proposed working group of the GRI Sector Standard Project for Mining .... 6
Session 4: GRI Topic Standard Project for Biodiversity ......................................................................... 6
Session 5: GSSB work program and meeting schedule ......................................................................... 7
Session 6: Any other business and close of meeting ............................................................................. 7Page 2 of 7

2Participants

3

Present:

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56

Name

Constituency

Judy Kuszewski

Chair

Robyn Leeson

Vice-Chair

Loredana Carta

LaborPeter Colley

Labor

Giulia Genuardi

Business enterprise

Evan Harvey

Investment institution

Vincent Kong

Business enterprise

Joseph Martin

Business enterpriseJennifer Princing

Business enterprise

Corli le RouxMediating institution

Kim Schumacher (joined at 1.20)

Civil society organization

Gustavo SinnerMediating institution

Rama Krishnan Venkateswaran

Investment institution

Michel Washer

Business enterprise

Apologies:
Name

Constituency

Kenton Swift

Civil society organization

In attendance from GRI:
Name

Position

Bastian Buck

Chief of Standards

Mia d’Adhemar

Sr. Manager Sector Program

Noora Puro

Manager Sector Program

Elodie Chêne

Manager Standards

Veronica Wachong

Senior Coordinator

Harold Pauwels

Director Standards

Gillian Balaban

Sr. Coordinator Governance Relations

List of abbreviations
GRIGSSB
SDTC
WG
DPP

Global Reporting Initiative
Global Sustainability Standards BoardStandards Division
Technical committee
Working groupDue Process ProtocolPage 3 of 7

7Decisions and action items

8Decisions

9The GSSB resolved to approve the following:

10GSSB Decision 2021.29 Item 01 – Draft summary of the GSSB meeting held on 18 November

11GSSB Decision 2021.31 Item 02 – GRI Sector Standards Project for Mining – Proposed WG

12GSSB Decision 2021.30 – GSSB formal thank-you for departing GSSB members

13GSSB Decision 2021.32 – GSSB formal thank-you to Eric Hespenheide

14

Session 1: Welcome

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The Global Sustainability Standards Board (GSSB) Chair Judy Kuszewski (henceforth the Chair)

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welcomed the GSSB and presented an overview of the meeting agenda. The GSSB was presented

17with the following items for approval:

18

Item 01 – Draft summary of the GSSB meeting held on 18 November

19

Item 02 – GRI Sector Standards Project for Mining – Proposed WG

20

GSSB formal thank-you for departing GSSB members, Gustavo Sinner and Rama Krishnan

21

Venkateswaran

22GSSB formal thank-you to Eric Hespenheide

23

Session 2: Key conclusions of the24

draft Sector Standard for Coal

25

Noora Puro, Manager Sector Program, presented the progress of the Sector Standard project for26

coal since the exposure draft was released for public comment. The following points provide an

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overview of public comments received that led to significant changes in the draft Standard:

28•

The list of likely material topics did not change due to the public comments received.

29•

Most of the feedback was related to climate-related topics, followed by comments on topics

30
3132related to environmental management.
•Key changes to the draft Standard targeted the following topics: Topic 12.2 Climate
adaptation, resilience, and transition; Topic 12.3 Closure and rehabilitation; Topic 12.4 Air

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33emissions; Topic 12.13 Asset integrity and critical incident management; Topic 12.20 Anti-34

corruption.

35

•

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Major revisions were also made in the section describing the sustainability context for the coalsector. The section is titled: The sector and sustainable development.

•The International Council on Mining and Metals has been consulted on a number of topicswhere an overlap is anticipated with the mining Standard to future proof the coal Standard.

37

The presentation concluded with questions and concerns from the GSSB regarding proposed

38changes to the draft coal Standard. Questions asked by GSSB members and corresponding answers

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from the SD are as follows:

40•GSSB: What is the weight on transition in the coal Standard compared to the weight in

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transition in the oil and gas Standard? Do we have the balance right in terms of weight42

proportional to response?

43

SD: The message from the WG is that coal should be treated differently from oil and gas; coal

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is the priority in the low-carbon transition. Governments and investors are targeting coal to be45

phased out, as seen in COP26 messaging. Stakeholders and WG members have indicated46

the urgency to transition away from coal, but it is important to recognize the impacts that47

existing operations have and will continue to have on communities. Plus, the need to48

transition and the impacts of those transitions. Therefore, there is a slight increase in49

reporting related to transition.

50•GSSB: Were there any public comments regarding the sector's scope in terms of what should51

be reported under transportation?

52

SD: We did not receive any direct comments on this, but it has been a discussion point

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outside of public comment. The scope of this particular Standard would include transportation

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which will be the same proposal for mining; it is about the transportation of the mineral.

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General transport, for example, food, supplies, and workers would be best covered by a56

separate transport Standard.

57

Session 3: Approval of the proposed

58

working group of the GRI Sector

59Standard Project for Mining

60

Senior Coordinator, Veronica Wachong, presented to the GSSB the composition of the proposed WG

61of the GRI Sector Standard project for mining:

62•

89 applications were received, and 38 applicants were interviewed; the proposed WG

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includes 20 members: 18 of those applicants interviewed and 2 nominations from the Council

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of Global Unions representing labor.

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•The WG composition includes representatives from Africa, Asia, Europe, North America,

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Oceania, and South America, large-cap and small/mid-cap representation, a range of67

commodities, and relevant associations.

68•Despite the balance achieved in the proposed WG composition, some limitations need to be69

addressed through additional stakeholder engagement during the development of the70

Standard to ensure sufficient coverage of, e.g., less represented geographical contexts, non-71

metallic mining, quarrying, artisanal and small-scale mining.

72

The GSSB resolved to approve the SD’s proposed WG for the mining sector. The GSSB further

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expresses gratitude to everyone who volunteered to be part of the project.

74

Session 4: GRI Topic Standard

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Project for Biodiversity

76

Elodie Chêne, Manager Standards, presented the GSSB with the project update:77•

GRI has published two press releases relating to the biodiversity project. The first78

communication announced the alignment of the standard development process with the79

EFRAG Task Force, and the other was an announcement of the collaboration with CDP and80

TNFD.

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•

82
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Standard proposal.
•84
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GRI has also invited EFRAG to join initial conversations with TC members to inform eachother throughout the process.

•86
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GRI has joined EFRAG’s biodiversity cluster meetings and provided feedback on theAs CDP is represented in the TC, the collaboration will aim to harmonize approaches todisclosures on biodiversity.

•GRI will be part of the TNFD process through their forum and as a knowledge partner. There88

is an expectation that the revised GRI Standard would provide input on the risk management

89

and disclosure framework. Completion is earmarked for the end of 2023.

90

•

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The project has commenced with an initial scoping survey and interviews with TC members
to identify the main work areas for revising the Standard.

•An exposure draft is to be made ready for public comment in the May-June period.

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Session 5: GSSB work program and94

meeting schedule

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The Chief of Standards, Bastian Buck presented, the following points for consideration:

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•

97
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to the GSSB work program. Gustavo Sinner has provided input.
•99
100•The aim is to have a proposal of the GSSB work program ready for approval in January orFebruary, depending on developments in the weeks to follow.

•103
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If further comments or input need to be considered, please submit these by email to Bastianor Harold.

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GSSB members were invited to provide feedback to develop the proposal for the addendum

GSSB meetings are scheduled for every third week of the month in 2022. Due to the summer
holiday period, the meeting in August will not take place.

•

There is a proposed two-day in-person meeting taking place in October. However, it remains

105

to be confirmed given current developments relating to the pandemic in Europe.

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Session 6: Any other business and107

close of the meeting108

On behalf of the GSSB, the Chair expressed a formal thank-you to Eric Hespenheide. The GSSB

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further approved a resolution in gratitude for Eric’s distinguished service and contribution to GRI.

110

No other business was raised, and the Chair closed the public meeting at 14.18 Central European111

Time (CET).

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