GRI gets base in Australia

The Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), creator of the world’s most widely used sustainability reporting guidelines, is establishing an Australian base at the St James Ethics Centre in Sydney.

Rosemary Sainty, the centre’s head of responsible business practice, said: ‘Australia has much to contribute… and we are keen to see Australia further grow as a trusted regional hub for business.’

The GRI’s G3 Guidelines enable companies and other organizations to make public transparent disclosure on their economic, environmental and social performance by stating the principles and indicators that organizations can use to measure and report their economic, environmental and social performance. They are used by more than 1600 organizations worldwide.

Leontien Plugge, the GRI’s network relations manager, said: ‘With this collaboration with the centre, we hope to strengthen and broaden the active and dynamic community in Australia that create, read and use sustainability reports.’

The GRI chose the centre because it has strong links with prominent organizations in regional corporate responsibility and sustainability. For example, it is a trustee of the Corporate Responsibility Index, which was set up by Business in the Community (UK), and it has a longstanding partnership with the National Business Leaders’ Forum on Sustainable Development.

Australia’s largest accounting body, CPA Australia, will assist in the funding of a position in the GRI unit as part of its commitment to corporate responsibility.

Geoff Rankin, the chief executive, said: ‘As a member of the GRI, CPA Australia strongly supports its approach to sustainable business practice. We’ve brought its leaders to Australia to speak at our congresses so that businesspeople can learn first-hand about the benefits and the importance of the GRI’s approach. We are delighted to provide seed funding to help the St James Ethics Centre get an Australian base up and running.’