Amsterdam, Feb 17: As global momentum builds for stronger corporate accountability on biodiversity, the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) has launched a new practical guide to help organizations enhance the quality and credibility of their biodiversity disclosures.
Titled “Decoding biodiversity impacts: A practical guide to corporate reporting with the GRI Standards,” the free e-book provides actionable insights into applying GRI 101: Biodiversity 2024, the latest global benchmark for reporting nature-related impacts. The release comes in response to the recently published Business and Biodiversity Assessment by the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES), which warns that “business as usual” is accelerating biodiversity loss and calls for transformative corporate action.
Supporting Credible, Decision-Useful Reporting
The guide combines expert perspectives on implementing GRI 101 with practical case studies from GRI Community members. It illustrates:
- How organizations can assess biodiversity impacts across operations and geographies;
- The benefits of integrating nature-related considerations into governance and strategic decision-making;
- The importance of location-specific data in identifying biodiversity risks and dependencies;
- Approaches to managing data collection challenges across supply chains.
As biodiversity reporting gains traction globally, the guide demonstrates how transparent, decision-useful disclosures can build stakeholder trust and inform actions that address nature-related risks and opportunities.
Cristina Gil White, Chief Engagement Officer at GRI, said:
“As transparency expectations around biodiversity impacts intensify, the question isn’t whether to report: it’s how to do it credibly. We hope the perspectives and learnings in this e-book will demonstrate that, empowered by the GRI 101 Standard, effective and decision-useful corporate reporting on nature is achievable. Ultimately, this is about translating commitments into action that drives change and builds trust.
Whether organizations are just starting out or already advanced in their nature disclosure practices, ‘Decoding biodiversity impacts’ is a key resource to strengthen reporting and navigate transparency requirements with greater clarity.”
New Global Benchmark for Biodiversity Disclosure
Effective for all GRI reporting from 1 January 2026, GRI 101: Biodiversity 2024 replaces GRI 304: Biodiversity 2016 and establishes the global standard for disclosing impacts on nature. The Standard has been published in 11 languages, reinforcing its global accessibility and adoption.
The release of the guide follows the 12th plenary session of IPBES, held in Manchester, UK, where representatives of 150 governments approved the Business and Biodiversity Assessment Report. The report highlights that many companies currently face limited financial consequences for biodiversity impacts and outlines 100 priority actions for businesses, governments, and stakeholders.
Strengthening Skills and Collaboration
Through the GRI Community — a global network of over 400 organizations advancing sustainability reporting — and the GRI Academy, the world’s leading training provider for sustainability reporting, GRI offers targeted courses to build capacity in biodiversity reporting, including guidance on GRI 101 and GRI-TNFD interoperability.
The Global Reporting Initiative provides standards, services, tools, and training that enable organizations of all sizes to assess and report on environmental, social, and economic impacts. Developed through a multi-stakeholder process, the GRI Standards are widely used worldwide and contribute to the establishment of a global sustainability reporting system that supports long-term value creation for people and the planet.
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