Continuing Education Units (CEUs)
Participant information© GRI 2024

What are CEUs?
Continuing Education Units (CEUs) represent the educational activities (developed by theGRI Academy) required to maintain the status of a GRI Certified Sustainability Professional.
This title refers to individuals that have completed the four constituent courses of the GRI
Professional Certification Program, and passed the GRI Professional Certification Exam.
Why are CEUs required?
The right to use the title ‘GRI Certified Sustainability Professional is regulated by GRI andimposes a duty on the bearer to maintain and enhance their professional competence
Therefore, all GRI Certified Sustainability Professionals should participate on a regular basis
in activities that maintain or improve their professional competence. The CEU requirement
helps to measure and monitor the efforts of the professional to do so. When applied to elearning courses, as a rule of thumb, one CEU is roughly equivalent to one learning hour. Inaddition, occasionally CEUs are awarded for attending events organized by GRI.
How do CEUs work?
As of 1st November 2023, individuals who renew or achieve their GRI Professional
Certification are required to complete a minimum of 4 CEUs per year. CEUs are awarded
solely through the GRI Academy and are clearly marked as such in the learner’s personaldata.
If a GRI Certified Sustainability Professional completes the required CEUs before theircertification expires, a renewal certificate will be issued to indicate a new certification validityperiod. Each yearly certification renewal requires the completion of (a minimum of) 4 CEUs.
Certified Individuals can track their CEU progress in the GRI Academy in the “My Activities”
section, accessed via the top left corner of your User Dashboard. Certified Individuals will also
receive progress updates via email.
What if I became certified before November 2023?
If you were certified or extended your certification prior to 1 November 2023, a certification
validity period of 2 years applies. Please note, you will be required to complete 8 CEUs within
a 2-year period. Once this certification period expires, you will then be required to complete 4
CEUs per year to maintain your certification, rather than 8 CEUs within a two-year period.
What if I have already completed CEUs before becoming certified?
If a participant has already completed more than the required number of CEUs in an effort torecertify, the excess credits will roll over into the new certification period.
What kind of CEUs are offered? Can I choose?
The GRI Academy offers a range of CEUs covering different sustainability topics. In addition,occasionally CEUs are awarded for attending events organized by GRI. This is announced
through the GRI Newsletter.
Each year, the Academy curriculum is updated to provide Certified Individuals with a varietyof CEU courses. Currently, the GRI Academy offers the following CEUs:

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Course name

CEU credits
awardedMastery of Transparent Tax Reporting2
Waste Management Impact Reporting2
Reporting on the Impact of Occupational health and Safety
2
Unveiling GRI Sector Standards In-Depth Insights and Real-world
3
Applications
Transparency for Tomorrow: Decoding the Sustainability
2
Reporting Landscape
Unlocking the ESRS for GRI Reporters
3
Reporting with GRI 13: Agriculture, Aquaculture and Fishing
3
Sectors 2022
External Assurance for Sustainability Reporting: A
2
Comprehensive Guide
Charting A Greener Path: Reporting on Biodiversity with the GRI
2Standards

Price
€ 250
€ 200
€ 250
€ 300
€ 195
€ 250
€ 300
€ 300
€ 250

Would the preparation time needed to take the courses be included in my CEUs?
CEUs applied to e-learning courses are calculated (roughly) based on the length of thecourses. Preparation time is not included in the calculation of the CEUs.
What happens if I am not able to complete the CEUs before the expiration of thecertification period?
If you do not complete your CEUs in time, your certification status will expire. This expiration
will also be publicly visible in the GRI Certified Sustainability Professionals directory on theGRI website. To get reinstated you must complete the process underneath.
What is the process of reinstatement?
If you do not complete the minimum CEUs required for the renewal of your certification
before the expiry date, you need to follow this process to reinstate your GRI Professional
Certification status:
Reinstatement categories

Process

Within 3 months of Certification expiry

Complete the missing CEUs and a fee of€100 will apply

Within 6 months of Certification expiry

Complete the missing CEUs and retake theProfessional Certification Exam

Stay in touch

Barbara Strozzilaan 101
1083 HN Amsterdam
The Netherlands

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