GRI Sustainability Reporting Verification

Assure Stakeholders of the Truthfulness of Your Sustainability Report

In recent years, the attention of the market and the policymakers to the issues of sustainable development has led more and more organizations to implement systems to monitor their social and environmental performance and to report them externally.

While disclosing Sustainability information to stakeholders about Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) aspects it is important to use standards that ensure credibility from the consumers, governments and interested parties in general.

In order to standardize the processes and contents of sustainability reporting, international working groups have developed guidelines for the preparation and of these reports. Among the best known are GRI (Global Reporting Initiative) and AA 1000 (Accountability). GRI is the most widely used guideline for producing these sustainability reports.

Alongside the growing number of organizations producing sustainability reports, there is also an increasing demand for external audits of the reports themselves, by independent third-party auditors. GRI recommends an independent evaluation of the sustainability reports prepared by organizations. The verification of sustainability reports aims to assure stakeholders of the truthfulness of the information reported.

WHY IT is BENEFICIAL TO VERIFY YOUR SUSTAINBAILITY REPORT

If an organization is using GRI standards to disclose their sustainability report, the report verification by an independent third party provides multiple benefits:

• Verifies the accuracy, and comparability of data reported to achieve consistency and alignment with other reporting.
• Verifies that materiality themes and GRI indicators have been comprehensively checked in line with the standard.
• Verifies that the statements made in the sustainability report document are accurate and true.
• Helps organizations identify areas of further improvement in line with GRI principles.
• Improves the reliability of sustainability report as it describes the rationale & contents of assurance.
• Trustworthy information compliments the decision making of independent information users like procurement managers, investors, and consumers.

TÜV SÜD supports organizations with sustainability reporting

TÜV SÜD supports companies as an independent third-party verifier of sustainability reports. Our auditors have the most appropriate skills for the evaluation of your reports. Verification of reports are carried out based on the material topics identified by the organizations and according to reporting guidelines such as example, the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI). Regarding the main international verification standards and guidelines for the drafting of sustainability reports, TÜV SÜD has created its verification methodology to ensure the highest level of compliance.