ESG Reporting using the GRI Framework (1-day)

Introduction

A growing number of investors, both institutional and retail (non-institutional), and in developed and emerging markets alike, look at ESG risks as a testing ground for their portfolio companies. The ones that perform well on ESG are well-positioned for the future and have better chances of adapting their products and services to a global consumer base that is increasingly pushing for environmental protection, respect for human rights and corporate transparency. The number of financial institutions that integrate ESG in their decision-making processes is on the rise globally, and it is expected to increase in a post-Covid economy as studies have shown that companies with high ESG ratings held up better than their competitors during the crisis.

The Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) represents one of the most referenced and ubiquitous sustainability and ESG reporting frameworks in the world. 

GRI’s framework for ESG reporting helps companies identify, gather and report this information in a clear and comparable manner. First launched in 2000, GRI’s ESG reporting framework is now the most widely used by multinational organizations, governments, small and medium enterprises (SMEs), NGOs and industry groups in more than 90 countries. In 2017, 63 percent of the largest 100 companies (N100), and 73 percent of the Global Fortune 250 (G250) reported applying the GRI reporting framework.

This course will enable participants to learn the fundamental GRI concepts and framework, workshop how to apply the GRI disclosures and return to their offices with practical tools they can immediately apply in their next GRI-compliant ESG reports. 

Learning Objectives

By the end of this course, participants will be able to:

• Describe ESG challenges and explain how ESG reporting contributes to sustainable development
• List key elements of an ESG report and the value and benefits of ESG disclosures
• Describe GRI and the role of the Global Sustainability Standards Board (GSSB) in the development of the GRI Standards
• Identify the requirements for reporting in accordance with the GRI Standards.
• Describe the process for identifying an organization’s impacts and determining material topics.
• Report contextual information about an organization and how it manages its material topics. 
• Explain the concepts, features, purpose, and structure of the GRI Standards
• Describe the reporting process when using the GRI standards
  • Describe the modular system used by GRI: Universal Standards, Sector Standards, and Topic Standards
  • Describe and give examples of topic-specific GRI Standards in three series: 200 (Economic topics), 300 (Environmental topics), and 400 (Social topics)

Who Should Attend

This course is aimed at ESG or Sustainability leaders in their companies. The course is appropriate for those both overseeing and those executing current or future ESG and Sustainability reports on behalf of their companies.

Topics

• Materiality
• ESG Strategy vs ESG Tactics
• ESG reporting: frameworks, structure, disclosures
• The GRI Standards & how to apply them
• GRI modular system:
  • Universal Standards
  • Sector Standards
  • Topic Standards
• GRI topic-specific series of disclosures (economic, environmental, social)

Teaching Method

• Group live instruction and illustrative examples
• Review & interpretation of ESG information to illustrate key points
• Practical workshop exercises using realistic scenarios, case studies, examples of best practice and the models you can use back in the workplace
• Interactive participation will be encouraged
• All participants will receive digital copies of the presentation slides, handouts, and other course materials

Instructors

Venue

CPE/CPD Accreditation

IASeminars is registered with the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA) as a sponsor of continuing professional education on the National Registry of CPE Sponsors. State boards of accountancy have final authority on the acceptance of individual courses for CPE credit. Complaints regarding registered sponsors may be submitted to the National Registry of CPE Sponsors through its website: www.nasbaregistry.org.

 

Field of study: Accounting

Prerequisites

Participants should have a working understanding of what Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) means and have heard of the various ESG reporting frameworks out there, GRI being one. Ideally, participants are those in their company who have been asked to produce an annual ESG report, in alignment with GRI and are now ready to begin that process.