The Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) and Climate & Company, a sustainable finance think tank, have signed an agreement to promote the adoption of international sustainability reporting standards across industries. This collaboration aims to provide businesses, investors, and stakeholders with the data needed for informed decision-making on sustainability issues.
Climate & Company, known for bridging policy-making, finance, and academia, provides expertise on practical regulatory standards. The partnership was formalised through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that highlights both organisations’ shared values, mission, and vision for advancing global sustainability reporting.
The MoU was signed in September during Climate Week NYC. As part of their initial activities, GRI and Climate & Company will co-host an event on climate reporting’s challenges and opportunities in Baku on 15 November, during the UN Climate Change Conference (COP29).
The collaboration focuses on several key initiatives. First, they will promote the use of GRI Standards to support impact reporting in line with European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS), targeting the engagement of SMEs and global value chain actors. Additionally, they will work on coalition-building through events that advocate for high standards in environmental and human rights impacts management.
Lastly, the organizations plan to submit joint funding proposals to align resources and relationships in support of sustainability reporting, with a focus on EU and G20 countries. Through these efforts, GRI and Climate & Company aim to reinforce the role of sustainability standards as critical tools for transparency and accountability in the global market.