Global Reporting Initiative | Updated Biodiversity Standard

With backing by One Earth and others, Global Reporting Initiative announced development of an updated and revised biodiversity standard for sustainability reporting.

"One Earth is committed to fostering collaboration to achieve the urgent action needed to tackle climate change. The decimation we are seeing to global biodiversity is undeniably linked to the effects of climate change. Therefore, we are pleased to support GRI in developing an updated and globally applicable Biodiversity Standard. It is only by taking collective responsibility for impacts that organizations can contribute towards solutions that safeguard our planet." — Karl Burkart, Deputy Director of One Earth

The GRI’s Sustainability Reporting Standards are the most commonly accepted global standards for sustainability reporting by companies, developed to enable consistent reporting across companies and industries, providing clearer communication to stakeholders regarding sustainability matters. Funding for the revised standard forms a special project under the GRI’s Global Standards Fund, which enables the continued independent and multi-stakeholder development of the standards, as well as advocacy to drive uptake of the standards, along with further development of sector-specific sustainability reporting standards.

According to GRI, the current Biodiversity Standard is used annually by at least 2,000 organizations. With this revised standard, the GRI aims to reach more organizations in order to enable them to address their role in biodiversity, and to help meet stakeholder expectations for transparency. Urgency for improved biodiversity reporting is given added significance by the UN Climate Change Conference (COP26) in November 2021, where one of four goals will be to ensure adaptation that protects natural habitats and restores ecosystems.