GRI announces launch of Food Processing Sector Supplement and NGO Sector Supplement

(3BLMedia/theCSRfeed) Amsterdam - 11 May 2010 - The Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) - provider of the world’s most widely-used sustainability reporting guidance - announces the launch of the Food Processing Sector Supplement and NGO Sector Supplement during the Amsterdam Global Conference on Sustainability and Transparency, 26 - 28 May 2010. The new Sector Supplements will enable food processing companies and non-profit organizations to measure and publicly disclose their performance on a range of economic, environmental and social indicators in a comparable way across the globe. 

GRI Food Processing Sector Supplement The global trend of environmental awareness, paired with increased consumer consciousness and their wish to understand how the food they eat is produced, shows food processing companies facing new expectations. The GRI Food Processing Sector Supplement aims to facilitate effective sector reporting and will help food processing companies to proactively communicate their economic, environmental and social performance. Sector disclosures cover customer health and safety, labor, affordable food, product and service labeling, animal welfare, and supply chain management of different types of products such as agricultural crops, seafood, meat, poultry, beverages, and ingredients.   A working group of 20 experts from food processing companies as well as stakeholder organizations developed the Supplement during a period of two years. Drafts attracted public comments from over 150 sector experts.  “Food processing companies that work directly with agricultural suppliers can steer local effects of food production. This supplement provides the framework for comparing companies’ sustainability efforts in this sector”, said Maaike Fleur, GRI Sector Supplement Manager.   The GRI Food Processing Sector Supplement will be launched during the conference session ‘The Future of Sustainability Reporting in the Food Processing Industry’ on Friday 28 May at 11:00 am and will include speakers from Allianz Global Investors, Wageningen University and Research Center, and Nestlé.   GRI NGO Sector Supplement The rise of the ‘third sector’ has led to an increasing demand for greater accountability and transparency from non-profit organizations. The NGO Sector Supplement was initiated by the INGO Accountability Charter as a response to further enhance sustainability reporting practice in the non-profit sector. Sector disclosures cover program effectiveness, resource allocation, ethical fundraising, and volunteers.   The Supplement was created by a multi-stakeholder working group, incorporating feedback from 160 experts. “The partnership with GRI has allowed NGOs to compare their accountability initiatives with best practice in other sectors. In demonstrating their own accountability, NGOs need to show that they use at least the same standards that they ask of others”, said Beris Gwynne, Director for Global Accountability at World Vision International.   The NGO Sector Supplement will be launched at the conference session 'The Future of NGO Reporting' on Thursday 27 May at 11:00 am, featuring speakers from Oxfam International, Centre for Human Rights and Environment and Amnesty International’s former Deputy Secretary.   Media Contact
Global Reporting Initiative Gudrun Döhl
e: dohl@globalreporting.org
t: +31 (0)20 531 00 67   Working Group Members of the Food Processing Sector Supplement Allianz Global Investors, Archer Daniels Midland, Bunge, Compassion in World Farming, Danisco, Findus Group, Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, FNV Bondgenoten, Interface Trading, International Fair Trade Organization, International Federation of Agricultural Producers, International Union for Conservation of Nature, Nestlé, New York University, Punjab Education Sector Reform Program, Société Générale de Surveillance, Tyson Foods, Wilmar, WWF.    Working Group Members of the NGO Sector Supplement Agency for Social Information, Amnesty International, Centre for Human Rights and Environment, Cotlands, Development Alternatives, GreaterGood South Africa Trust, Greenpeace International, Interaction, Novartis, Ford Foundation, One World Trust, Oxfam UK, Responsible Business Initiative,
Tearfund, University of Bologna, Unilever, World Bank, World Education/GAN-Net, World Vision International.   About The Global Reporting Initiative (GRI)
The Global Reporting Initiative has pioneered the development of the world’s most widely used Sustainability Reporting Framework and is committed to its continuous improvement and application worldwide. This framework sets out the principles and indicators that organizations can use to measure and report their economic, environmental, and social performance. www.globalreporting.org   About the GRI Sector Supplements The GRI Sector Supplements contain tailored reporting guidance including sector specific issues that are not adequately addressed by GRI’s G3 Guidelines. They are intended to help organizations produce sustainability reports that address the main sector specific impacts in an internationally comparable way. Finalized Sector Supplements include Electric Utilities, Financial Services, and the recently launched Mining & Metals Supplement. Reporting guidance is under development for the Airport Operators, Construction & Real Estate, Event Organizers, Media, and Oil & Gas sectors. www.globalreporting.org/ReportingFramework/SectorSupplements/   About The Amsterdam Global Conference on Sustainability and Transparency From 26 to 28 May 2010, Amsterdam will play host to the world’s largest gathering of leaders, thinkers and doers in the field of sustainability reporting for the third time. This years’ timely theme is ‘Rethink. Rebuild. Report.’ The conference will explore how to reach GRI’s vision that disclosure on environmental, social, and governance performance is as mainstream as financial reporting by the year 2020. Close to 200 speakers from business, finance, politics and civil society will share their views and debate in more than 50 sessions on how to achieve a transition to a sustainable economy. www.amsterdamgriconference.org