Global professional services firm PwC announced today that it has joined the GRI Global Standards Fund, committing to contribute to the development of GRI sustainability reporting standards.

The Global Reporting Initiative’s (GRI) Sustainability Reporting Standards are the most commonly accepted global standards for sustainability reporting by companies, developed to enable consistent reporting across companies and industries, providing clearer communication to stakeholders regarding sustainability matters. The standards are available for reporting across a wide range of ESG-related topics, ranging from anti-corruption practices to biodiversity and emissions.

The Global Standards Fund enables the continued independent and multi-stakeholder development of the standards, as well as advocacy to drive uptake of the standards, along with further development of sector-specific sustainability reporting standards.

Nadja Picard, Partner and Global Reporting Leader, PwC, said:

 “PwC believes that the GRI Standards will play a major role in the coming transformation to a more sustainable economy. PwC is committed to design solutions that improve prosperity, health and equality, including working with standard setters to ensure higher quality corporate reporting. 

“We are increasingly seeing moves towards mandatory and assured reporting requirements by companies on environmental, social and governance factors. The provision of GRI’s globally relevant sustainability standards are essential to ensure comparable and comprehensive reporting. PwC is pleased therefore to contribute to the Global Standards Fund and continue to support the mission of GRI.”

 Marco van der Ree, GRI Chief Development Officer, added:

 “I am delighted that PwC has answered our call and will help progress GRI’s mission to the next stage. We are hugely ambitious for the GRI Standards in the light of global sustainability challenges and – through transparency – in their key role to empower organizations to take responsibility for their impacts on sustainable development.

“Yet that ambition comes at a cost. That is why we launched the Global Standards Fund, as a mechanism for strengthening the GRI Standards, based on the independent and multistakeholder process. I am confident that PwC will be the first of many to commit to the new Fund, and we expect to announce further supporters in the coming months.”