GRI Standards

Last updated: Various

Reporting standards designed to help organisations understand and disclose their impacts in a way that meets the needs of multiple stakeholders. These standards are arranged by a set of Universal Standards that apply to all organisations, and 35 Topic Standards that contain disclosures for impacts related to economic, environmental and social topics.

For organisations

Use this resource to:

  • Measure sustainability performance: Identify metrics to measure for each significant topic. The standards themselves provide guidance on selecting metrics to report. Using standardised metrics helps the organisation and its stakeholders compare performance with others.
  • Disclose: Report to all stakeholders on ‘material topics’ that reflect the organisation’s most significant impacts.

For investors and financial institutions

Use this resource to:

  • Assess: Assets use the measurement and disclosure standards and guidance for organisations, and investors can provide capacity to help adherence.

B Impact Assessment

Last updated: 2019

Tool designed to help organisations measure and manage their impact on workers, community, environment, and customers.

Use this resource to:

  • Identify sustainability topics: Fill in the online questionnaire to understand performance on sustainability topics that are likely relevant to manage, based on the organisation’s size, sector, and geography. B Lab’s questionnaire is developed through research and public consultation, and so provides an evidence-based starting point for identifying sustainability topics to measure.
  • Measure sustainability performance: Use the B Impact Assessment as a set of metrics. The questionnaire enables organisations to quickly get started collecting information on performance on sustainability topics that are likely relevant to manage, based on the organisation’s size, sector, and geography.
  • Assess impacts: Fill in the questionnaire to track change in performance over time. Each question is scored – some with reference to social or ecological thresholds – to help the organisation determine whether it is performing sustainably on that topic.
  • Benchmark: Compare performance with peers on each sustainability topic or as a whole organisation. If an organisation scores 80 points or above on the questionnaire, it can apply to be certified as a B Corp. The tool provides guidance to help organisations improve their score every year, and all B Corps must update their responses to the self-assessment to re-certify every three years.

SDG Impact Standards for Enterprises

Last updated: 2021

Practice standards that provide a common language and a system for integrating sustainable development issues, the Sustainable Development Goals and impact management into business and investment decision-making. These practice standards also outline the ‘ABC’ classification methodology, which helps organisations assess whether an impact ‘Acts to reduce harm’, ‘Benefits stakeholders’, or ‘Contributes to solutions’ in relation to the SDGs.

Use this resource to:

Set up processes and embed practices that orient an organisation towards achieving the SDGs. The SDG Impact Standard contains practice indicators that are relevant to several actions. Use the links below to access guidance for different practice indicators. Alternatively, view the whole guidance document here.

Impact Mappings

Last updated: 2021

The excel-based Impact Mappings are standalone versions of the research embedded in UNEP-FI’s Impact Analysis Tools, split into two parts.

First, the Sector Mappings show the strength of connection between economic activities (using ISIC classification) and positive and negative impacts (using UNEP-FI’s Impact Radar). Second, the Needs Mappings track a selection of indicators at global, country and local levels as a way to estimate the sustainable development needs in different geographies.

For organisations

Use this resource to:

  • Identify sustainability topics: Cross-check the organisations economic activities and geographic location against the Impact Mappings when identifying sustainability topics to measure.

For investors and financial institutions

Use this resource to:

  • Identify: Understand the impact areas and topics associated to different economic activities by consulting the Sector-Impact map; understand both positive and negative associations; identify key sectors for different impact areas and topics.
  • Assess: Review existing indicators and metrics for impact assessment by consulting the Indicator Library. Indicators and metrics from reporting standards and frameworks (GRI, SASB, CDP, TCFD), impact investor and development bank resources (IRIS+ and HIPSO), government taxonomies (EU Adaptation and Mitigation Taxonomies) and other sources have been collated to support indicator selection and interoperability between frameworks.

GISD Sector-Specific SDG-related Metrics for Corporate Reporting

Last updated: 2021

This report recommends a set of sector-specific, SDG-related metrics by drawing on metrics from existing standard setters and benchmarks.

The Global Investors for Sustainable Development Alliance (GISD) is a group of 30 large investment firms convened by the United Nations Secretary General. The GISD sits within the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA) and aims to scale-up long-term finance and investment in sustainable development.

Use this resource to:

  • Identify sustainability topics: The report suggests SDGs and related sustainability topics for eight sectors. Organisations can consider their sector and check whether the SDGs and related sustainability topics suggested are applicable to their own business.
  • Measure sustainability performance: The report suggests SDG-related metrics for eight sectors. Organisations can consider measuring the metrics specific to their sector.
  • Disclose: Organisations can include the recommended SDG-related metrics in their disclosure to stakeholders.

GISD Recommendations on SDG-related Disclosure

Last updated: 2021

This short guidance recommends an approach to SDG-related disclosure based on the approach set out in the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD).

The Global Investors for Sustainable Development Alliance (GISD) is a group of 30 large investment firms convened by the United Nations Secretary General. The GISD sits within the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA) and aims to scale-up long-term finance and investment in sustainable development.

Use this resource to:

  • Disclose: Organisations can use the recommendations to guide their disclosure related to SDGs.

Non-Authoritative Guidance on Applying ISAE 300 (Revised) Extended External Reporting (EER) Assurance Engagements

Last updated: 2021

Outlines the key stages of an assurance engagement, expectations of assurance professionals, and common types of information included in Extended External Reporting (EER) assurance engagements. The guidance has been developed to support assurers who are applying the ISAE 3000.

Use this resource to:

  • Verify: This guidance is not aimed at organisations but provides detailed information on issues that arise when assuring EER such as sustainability performance information, which organisations may still find useful.

International Standard on Assurance Engagements 3000 (Revised)

Last updated: 2013

A standard for assurance professionals that covers any assurance engagement other than audits or reviews of historical financial information.

Relevance to Organisations:

  • Verify: Organisations may require that their third-party assurance providers apply this standard to ensure adherence to global best practices.

TCFD recommendations

Last updated: 2017

Guidance that contains disclosure recommendations for information on the material financial impacts of climate-related risks and opportunities, including those related to the global transition to a lower-carbon economy. The TCFD recommendations are structured around the four pillars of Governance, Strategy, Risk Management, and Metrics and Targets.

For organisations

Use this resource to:

  • Disclose: Follow recommendations to structure climate-related financial disclosures. Other voluntary standards can be used in conjunction with TCFD recommendations.

For investors and financial institutions

Use this resource to:

  • Disclose: Follow recommendations to structure climate-related financial disclosures. Other voluntary standards can be used in conjunction with TCFD recommendations.

CDP’s Disclosure System

Last updated: 2021

Tool for investors, companies, cities, states and regions to manage their environmental impacts. The CDP Disclosure System supports companies in making their environmental impact transparent to stakeholders, better understanding how they can reduce their impact, and act to become environmental leaders.

For organisations

Use this resource to:

  • Identify sustainability topics: Fill in CDP’s questionnaires to understand the relevant climate change, forests and water security impacts to measure, based on the organization’s size, sector, and geography.
  • Measure sustainability performance: Use CDP’s questionnaires as sets of environmental metrics.
  • Assess impact: Fill in the questionnaires to track change in performance over time. Each question is scored – some with reference to social or ecological thresholds – to help the organisation determine whether it is performing sustainably on that topic.
  • Disclose: Report to all stakeholders on climate change, forests and water security. The questionnaires provide a framework for companies to report environmental information to their stakeholders covering governance and policy, risks and opportunity management, environmental targets and strategy, and scenario analysis. Receive an A-D grading based on questionnaire responses.
  • Benchmark: Tool allows companies to benchmark their environmental performance against their industry peers and receive feedback on their progress each year. The information disclosed is also used by financial markets for stewardship and engagement, in investment research, new financial products, and global indices and ratings.

For investors and financial institutions

Use this resource to:

  • Identify: Use CDP’s questionnaires to understand the relevant climate change, forests and water security impacts to measure. 
  • Assess: CDP holds the most comprehensive collection of corporate environmental data globally, and the questionnaire is now aligned with the TCFD recommendations. CDP data is disseminated throughout the market, and investors access and use the data in their own investment practices.
  • Monitor: Every year, investors working with CDP request environmental information by asking companies to respond to our questionnaires on climate change, deforestation and water security. These investors can then access the companies’ responses and can use the data and insights in their own investment process.
  • Benchmark: CDP scores allow companies to benchmark their environmental performance against their industry peers and receive feedback on their progress each year. The information disclosed is also used by financial markets for stewardship and engagement, in investment research, new financial products, and global indices and ratings.