Consultation for XBRL specialists
Deep dive into the technical details of our taxonomy
Digital reporting using GRI
- Taxonomies are at the heart of XBRL reporting. For the first time, the GRI Standards will be available digitally.
Benefits of the GRI Sustainability Taxonomy:
- Digitized Standards: These can be used to support the adoption and integration of the GRI Standards by regulators and others.
- Data capture and validation: data points capturing the reporting requirements of the GRI Standards will be reflected in the taxonomy, and the taxonomy’s validation rules will ensure a high level of reporting quality.
- Integration and testing for tool developers: enabling software partners to integrate the GRI Sustainability Taxonomy into reporting products, with continuous support as updates to the Standards are released, and access to a sandbox environment.
- Direct filing with GRI: organizations will be able to file with GRI, either by submitting XBRL reports to our filing portal or using a dedicated webform. After validation, an approver from the reporting organization must authorize the filings.
- A repository of digitally reported information: providing a source for consistent sustainability data for reporters, researchers and others.
- Opportunities to enable interoperability, helping to ensure that the same data can be used to report using different standards in the future.
At a glance: What are the GRI Standards?
For over 25 years, GRI has developed and maintained the only comprehensive set of sustainability reporting standards focused on the impacts that organizations have on the world around them. GRI Standards are the most commonly used sustainability standards worldwide: 78% of the world’s biggest 250 companies by revenue adopt them for sustainability reporting, and they are referenced in over 289 policies from 102 countries.
This focus on the impacts of the organizations distinguishes GRI from most other standards and frameworks, such as the IFRS Sustainability Disclosure Standards and SASB, which focus on disclosing sustainability-related financial risks and opportunities.
The European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS) adopt a ‘double materiality’ approach that includes both financial and non-financial disclosures. As a result of the Cooperation Agreement between GRI and EFRAG, definitions, concepts, and disclosures regarding impacts in the two Standards are fully or closely aligned. GRI remains committed to continuing its work with EFRAG on the co-construction of future ESRS standards, as well as other regulators around the world who adopt reporting of non-financial sustainability disclosures.
Resources:
The following resources provide further information on the [draft] GRI Sustainability Taxonomy, including illustrative examples.
- Draft GRI Sustainability Taxonomy (.zip file)
- Draft GRI Sustainability Taxonomy (. excel file)
- GRI Sustainability Taxonomy Architecture and Implementation Guide (.doc)
- Illustrative examples (iXBRL instances)
Events:
On 10 July, we held a consultation webinar for XBRL specialists.