Delivering the GRI Standards in Your Language

Two significant changes to the world’s most widely used sustainability reporting standards mean that GRI is looking for peer reviewers to assist with the translation process into seven languages.

Later this year, a major update to the Universal Standards will publish – the foundation for all reporting through GRI – as well as a first Sector Standard for oil and gas. To ensure these new GRI Standards are accessible to organizations around the world, a process is underway to produce translations.

Applications are open to join the peer review committees responsible for assessing the accuracy and usability of translated versions of the documents. In total, 10 translations will be produced:

• Spanish, French, Portuguese, and Bahasa Indonesia – to launch by end of this year
• German, Arabic, and Italian – to publish next year
• Japanese, Simplified Chinese, and Traditional Chinese – process to start in 2022

At this stage, GRI is seeking candidates who are native speakers in the initial seven languages. Strong English skills and a good understanding of sustainability reporting and the needs of reporters and/or report users is also required. For reviewers of the Sector Standard for oil and gas, applicants must have experience as a sustainability practitioner in this sector.

The benefits of being a GRI peer reviewer

“It is a great opportunity and honor to contribute to the development of GRI Standards by reviewing translations into other languages. I would highly recommend that other sustainability professionals consider supporting GRI’s mission in this way. What is clear is that, if the practice of sustainability reporting is to continue to spread, we need to ensure that more people can access the Standards in their own language.”

Jorge Reyes Iturbide, Centro IDEARSE at Universidad Anahuac, Mexico (past review panel chair for Spanish translations of the GRI Standards)

“Assisting with the translation of the GRI Standards into French has helped me develop a more in-depth understanding of the content and relevance of the Standards. It is also very enriching to have helped improve the global usage of the Standards by making them more accessible to French speakers and organizations around the world.”

François Sibille, Haute Ecole de gestion de Genève, Switzerland (previous panel chair for peer review of the GRI Standards in French)

The peer reviewer roles are on a pro bono basis and the committees will start their work in the second half of this year. All reviewers will be acknowledged in the published translations as well as through related GRI communications. Find out more about how to apply. The application process is open until 30 May.

Committee members review the sustainability terminology used, assessing if the language meets the usability requirements of reporters, and provide consolidated feedback to inform the final translations of the new Standards.

Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) is the independent, international organization that helps businesses and other organizations take responsibility for their impacts, by providing the global common language to report those impacts – the GRI Standards. Currently, the full set of Standards can be freely downloaded in English and 11 translations.