COVID-19, climate change, and ongoing conflicts have put corporate transparency and supply chain impacts center stage. Governments have used legislative tools to change corporate behavior and market conditions to address these societal challenges. Disclosure policies are among the most compelling instruments at their disposal. GRI engages with policymakers worldwide to adopt effective policies and regulatory frameworks promoting the alignment of private sector disclosures with sustainable development. We also support capacity-building efforts.
How we engage with policymakers
At the multilateral level, GRI actively engages with relevant UN agencies, the OECD, G7/20, etc; at the national level, we work with political bodies, government agencies, and regulators. Our engagement in global policy conversations takes many forms: round tables, working groups, and responding to public consultations (see the list of GRI responses below this page).
Guides for policymakers
In 2024 we launched a new series of public briefing documents on key policy topics related to transparency and reporting. Each publication focuses on a specific theme, highlighting its relevance to policymakers and explaining how (mandating the use of) GRI Standards can help policymakers effectively address the topic. The available guides can be downloaded below.
Carrots & Sticks (C&S) is a free online resource and publication capturing mandatory and voluntary policies that shape businesses' Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) impact worldwide. It provides an in-depth analysis of policies from over 130 countries, nearly 80 international and regional organizations, and in 38 languages.
C&S is delivered as a partnership between GRI, King's College London, the University of Edinburgh, and the University of Stellenbosch Business School. The Government of Sweden has provided financial support for the project.
The sixth edition of C&S was launched in September 2023; it covers 2,463 policies from 132 countries and 76 international and regional organizations in 38 languages.
