Durante décadas, el estado financiero de una empresa fue la...
Make a Sustainable Impact
Get Started with SAMESG®
As climate accountability grows, sustainability reporting has become a critical pillar and is now a regulatory and strategic necessity. Companies are being held accountable for how they impact and are impacted by the climate.
But with numerous frameworks like ISSB’s IFRS S1 & S2, the EU’s ESRS, CDP, and the GHG Protocol, businesses are often caught in the complexity of fragmented ESG disclosures. Conflicting definitions, overlapping indicators, and inconsistent metrics have made ESG reporting an even more confusing and costly process.
To bridge this gap and ease the process of alignment across frameworks, the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) on 26 June 2025, launched two updated standards:
These revised standards aim to streamline climate and energy reporting, enhance global interoperability (especially with IFRS S2 and the GHG Protocol), and enable businesses to deliver consistent, decision-useful sustainability disclosures.
Let’s explore how these changes in detail, with their impact on businesses, sustainability teams, and future reporting strategies.
GRI 102 focuses on enabling companies to report transparently on their climate change impacts — not just through emissions data, but through forward-looking plans and the broader social implications of their transition. It prioritizes substantial emissions reductions as the core mitigation strategy, backed by science-based targets, and incorporates just transition metrics to ensure no one is left behind.
Organizations are expected to report on climate change mitigation through clear GHG emissions reduction targets that are aligned with science-based pathways. This elevates the credibility of net-zero and climate-neutrality claims by grounding them in verifiable data.
GRI 102 mandates the disclosure of Scope 1 (direct), Scope 2 (indirect energy), and Scope 3 (value chain) emissions. Where companies are already reporting under IFRS S2 and using the GHG Protocol for emissions calculations, these disclosures can be cross-referenced, removing the need for duplication and enabling harmonized reporting.
Beyond emissions data, organizations must now disclose their transition plans (mitigation strategies) and adaptation plans. These include actions taken, progress made, and how climate change is strategically integrated into business strategy and governance. This helps in bringing in the shift from intent to impact.
GRI 102 requires organizations to report how their climate actions affect employment, livelihoods, and vulnerable communities. This ensures climate transition efforts are socially inclusive and equitable.
GRI 102 encourages companies to conduct scenario analyses to explore future climate risks and opportunities. While not mandatory, this helps businesses understand long-term resilience and potential disruptions under different climate futures.
GRI 103: Energy is the newly released standard that replaces the former GRI 302. This update represents a strategic shift in how organizations are expected to report on energy consumption, sourcing, and performance. It places energy reporting firmly within the context of climate change mitigation and sustainable transition, recognizing that emissions management cannot be separated from how energy is sourced and used. The key updates are as follows.
The standard expands the scope of energy-related disclosures to include a complete overview of an organization’s energy activities, covering both renewable and non-renewable sources. It includes detailed requirements to report on the origin of energy, the type of energy, and the location and context of energy use. This detailed breakdown gives stakeholders a more complete view of how responsibly energy is being sourced and managed.
GRI 103 places greater emphasis on transparency in renewable energy use. Companies must report whether they are generating their own renewable energy, purchasing certified green electricity, or only offsetting conventional energy consumption on paper. This ensures that companies cannot overstate their use of “green energy” and must provide a credible, traceable account of their energy sourcing strategy.
It’s no longer enough to list energy-saving initiatives. Companies must now report on the measurable results of these efforts, such as the actual reduction in energy use or emissions, demonstrating that efficiency claims are backed by performance, not just in intent or goals.
All energy-related data reported under GRI 103 must now be contextualized within the company’s broader climate strategy. This includes how energy sourcing supports or hinders net-zero commitments, whether energy improvements are part of transition plans aligned with global climate goals and how energy risks are managed as part of climate-related risk frameworks.
The GRI 102 and 103 standards are not merely technical revisions, but rather a strategic shift in how organizations are expected to align with and to integrate climate and energy data into business performance reporting. With countries like the UAE, Singapore, and India emphasizing on strict adherence to ESG mandates, the GRI update provides a common language and structure to navigate through and streamline reporting while reducing duplication across jurisdictions.
More importantly, these updates will help in shifting from surface-level ESG commitments to measurable, auditable action, helping stakeholders evaluate credibility over meaningless claims.
The updated GRI standards are designed to work in harmony with major frameworks like IFRS S2 and the GHG Protocol. This means companies can avoid duplicating efforts when preparing ISSB or CDP reports, saving time, reducing confusion, and enabling a more integrated reporting process.
With clearer definitions, improved methodologies, and more rigorous disclosure requirements, the updated standards bring greater trust and transparency to ESG reporting. This helps stakeholders view your data as reliable and trustworthy.
As climate-related risk increasingly influences company valuation, having credible, verifiable ESG disclosures positions the business as trustworthy and responsible. It signals long-term thinking, attracts sustainability-conscious investors, and opens doors to global collaborations.
As countries like Singapore, the UAE, and India tighten ESG disclosure norms, aligning with GRI 102 and 103 help businesses to meet both current and upcoming regulatory expectations, without scrambling to adapt later.
The 2025 GRI updates are not just about ticking compliance boxes. They’re about helping businesses operate more responsibly and efficiently in a world where climate accountability truly matters. These new standards give sustainability teams the tools to turn scattered emissions data into clear, strategic action, helping in bringing the much-needed shift from just complying to being accountable.
Companies that adopt these updates early won’t just avoid the risks of greenwashing or regulatory gaps; they’ll lead by example of turning intent to impact. Sustainability is more than just an obligation, and as we steer forward, let leading responsibly be your grounding principle.
Want to know how SAMESG® works?
SAMESG® streamlines ESG reporting—automating data collection, ensuring compliance, and delivering audit-ready reports in one powerful platform.
Presents
An exclusive event to inspire, connect, and equip finance leaders for tomorrow.
October 23, 2025 | 6:00 PM – 9:00 PM GST
