People are your greatest asset: transparency for labor impacts
Published date: 25 February 2025
Public consultation under way on revised and new GRI Standards covering work-life balance and career development
As part of a major review of all GRI labor-related standards, a consultation is underway to gain input and help finalize a set of disclosures covering training, education and family-friendly policies in the workplace.
The proposed updates to GRI Topic Standards emphasize greater transparency for equal treatment and career development of workers and address the measures companies have in place to ensure an adequate work-life balance, encompassing training and employability skills development, and support for employees with family and care responsibilities.
The public comment period is open until 29 April 2025, with feedback sought on exposure drafts for two Standards, following approval by the Global Sustainability Standards Board:
- Revised version the GRI 404: Training and Education 2016 Topic Standard, which includes disclosures on both formal and informal training provided to workers.
- A new GRI Standard for Working Parents and Caregivers, built on disclosures of GRI 401: Employment 2016, covering family-related leave and working time arrangements.
This next phase in the review of the GRI labor-related Standards is focused on achieving greater transparency in two key areas of labor: how organizations provide learning opportunities for their workers throughout their career journey; and measures to support parents and caregivers to balance work and family life. I encourage all stakeholders who care about their employees and families to review the draft Standards and help shape their development.
Harold Pauwels, GRI Director of StandardsThe development process has been guided by a Technical Committee that includes tripartite representation from organizations representing workers, employers and labor unions, supported by a multi-stakeholder Advisory Group.
Employment is a key social and economic impact of most organizations. For some, it is their biggest impact. Their workforce is a source of competitive advantage, but also a major risk for adverse impacts regarding workplace human rights and broader sustainability. The substantial revision to the GRI labor Standards is a major tool for organizations to manage risk and improve their performance in this critical area.
Peter Colley, National Research Director, Construction, Forestry, Maritime, Mining and Energy Union (Technical Committee member and labor representative)Family-friendly policies lead to healthier, better-educated children and thriving societies. The new GRI Labor Standards have the potential to not only benefit children and their families but also increase workforce productivity and businesses’ ability to attract, motivate and retain employees.
Erik Nyman, Acting Senior Programme Manager (Children's Rights and Business), UNICEF (Advisory Group member and civil society representative)The GRI Labor Standards reflect the latest stakeholder expectations for companies. Developing and implementing business strategies to meet these expectations not only enhances corporate value but the return to society as well. The revised standards are not merely a disclosure tool; they are a tool to help companies grow and bring wealth to society.
Sachiko Ichikawa, Partner Lawyer at Tanabe and Partners (Advisory group member and business enterprise representative)Registration is now open for two global webinars, to take place at 9am CET on 12 March and 5pm CET on 13 March. The public comment period is an opportunity to provide feedback on the completeness, clarity, relevance and feasibility of the exposure drafts. Stakeholders are encouraged to submit their comments via this online form.
Rooted in the human rights-based approach and due diligence, the Labor Standards review aims to reflect stakeholder expectations for reporting on the steps organizations need to take to protect human rights by ensuring decent work and dignity for workers. It also sets to ensure that all GRI labor-related standards are aligned with the key authoritative intergovernmental instruments, such as those set by the International Labour Organization (ILO), the UN and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).
The initial consultation stage of the labor project, focusing on employment practices and working conditions, launched in June 2024. Two further consultations are planned to take place in 2025, covering workers’ rights and protections.