Baku, Azerbaijan – 14 November 2024: Two leading organizations within the corporate sustainability ecosystem are deepening their collaboration to improve and streamline environmental reporting, following a Memorandum of Understanding that was signed between CDP and Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) during the COP29 Climate Change Conference in Baku.
GRI provides the global common language for organizations to report their environmental, social and economic impacts – the GRI Standards. CDP is the global independent disclosure system for companies to measure and manage their environmental impacts. Over 14,000 organizations use the GRI Standards while more than 24,800 companies representing over two thirds of global market capitalization disclose through CDP. The collaboration recognizes that, through CDP’s annual questionnaire, companies can report GRI-aligned data to stakeholders and the wider global market.
Under the new agreement, CDP and GRI will build capacity and streamline disclosure for companies, with the aim of increasing access to comparable data through environmental reporting that reflects the highest ambition. The MoU will help the two organizations to progress their technical alignment, including a mapping exercise to enhance interoperability and an assessment of CDP’s questionnaire and the GRI Topic Standards for climate change, water and biodiversity.
Cristina Gil White, Interim CEO of GRI, said:
“For over 25 years, GRI has been a catalyst for organizations to understand and report their impacts, empowering them to unlock sustainable value and bring about positive change. The synergy with CDP, in terms of our shared ambitions for corporate reporting of environmental impacts to be more comprehensive and effective, is clear to see.
As nations are gathered in Baku for crucial talks on how to quicken progress to achieve the Paris Agreement, I am delighted to sign this significant MoU with CDP. I believe the formal collaboration will lead to clarity for businesses and other stakeholders on the alignment between the GRI Standards and CDP’s questionnaire, increasing the ease of reporting in ways that deliver relevant and actionable data.”
Sherry Madera, CEO of CDP, said:
“CDP is proud to strengthen our collaboration with GRI. This agreement will enhance the efficiency of environmental reporting, enabling companies to provide more comparable and actionable data. By disclosing through CDP, companies can disclose GRI-aligned data directly to stakeholders and the wider global market. This is a crucial step in accelerating global climate action and ensuring businesses can meet the highest standards of transparency and accountability.”
NOTES TO EDITORS
CDP’s corporate questionnaire is already partially aligned with GRI 303: Water & Effluents 2018 and climate-related disclosures in the GRI Standards. Additional mapping and alignment will now be explored with GRI’s forthcoming climate and energy standards (to publish Q1 2025), and GRI 101: Biodiversity 2024.
About CDP
CDP is a global non-profit that runs the world’s environmental disclosure system for companies, cities, states and regions. Founded in 2000 and working with more than 700 financial institutions with over $142 trillion in assets, CDP pioneered using capital markets and corporate procurement to motivate companies to disclose their environmental impacts, and to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, safeguard water resources and protect forests. Over 24,800 companies around the world disclosed data through CDP in 2024, including listed companies worth over two thirds of global market capitalization. Aligned with the ISSB’s climate standard, IFRS S2, as its foundational baseline, CDP holds the largest environmental database in the world, and CDP scores are widely used to drive investment and procurement decisions towards a zero carbon, sustainable and resilient economy. CDP is a founding member of the Science Based Targets initiative, We Mean Business Coalition, The Investor Agenda and the Net Zero Asset Managers initiative. Visit cdp.net or follow us @CDP to find out more.
About GRI
Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) is the independent nonprofit organization that is the architect of the common global language to assess and report on environmental, social and economic impacts. GRI provides standards, tools and training that empower organizations of all sizes to create sustainable, long-term value and unlock positive change in the world.
Established in 1997, GRI has led a global multi-stakeholder process to develop and refine rigorous yet practical approaches to sustainability reporting, which meet the needs of all stakeholders. The GRI Standards are the world’s most widely-used sustainability reporting framework, used by more than 14,000 organizations, including 78% of the largest 250 companies globally.
MEDIA CONTACTS
GRI
Tom Whittles – Head of Media & Content
Email: [email protected] or [email protected]
CDP
Samika MJ – Associate Director (Media Relations & Spokesperson Engagement)
Email: [email protected] and [email protected]