The december 2005 news update of the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI).
[b]New Website for G3[/b]

GRI launched a new website www.grig3.org to host the latest version of the Guidelines known as G3. The G3 Guidelines will be released in draft form for the purposes of inviting public comment on them. These will be available beginning 2 January 2006,12.00 CET, on the special website. Readers will be able to submit their comments on the G3 Draft via the website until the period closes on 31 March 2006. The site will also feature an informal discussion forum for people to openly exchange ideas abour the G3 Guidelines.

The site went live today and contains information about the G3 development process, who has been involved, and more details on the time line for completion. The site is also configured to take registrations from anyone interested in attending one of a dozen Sneak Peek events planned to roll out in major cities around the world in the New Year.

Find out more on www.grig3.org, and be sure to logon 2 January 2006 to get a first look at the draft G3 Guidelines.

[b]A G3 Guidelines Sneak Peek event is coming to a city near you![/b]

Join us at one of our exclusive G3 Sneak Peek events starting in January 2006. Whether you are an expert in the Corporate Responsibility world, or are just starting to explore this fascinating field, participating in a Sneak Peek event will be a rewarding experience.

Sustainability reporting has fast become an important staple of organizational management and stakeholder expectations. Over 750 of the world’s leading organizations are already using GRI’s Sustainability Reporting Guidelines as the basis for their reports. Since their last release in 2002, GRI has been committed to continuous improvement of the Guidelines based on the experiences and needs of reporting organizations and their stakeholders worldwide.

This past year a series of focused technical multi-stakeholder working groups have refined, revised, improved, and developed new innovations for the third generation of GRI Guidelines, known as G3. These new Guidelines are being released as a DRAFT version for the purposes of seeking your comments on how they are shaping up. This public consultation period is open between 2 January – 31 March 2006.

The G3 Guidelines are bound to change the face of sustainability reporting. Now is the perfect time for you to take action and have a say in their development. Join us for a “Sneak Peek” of the draft G3 Guidelines at a one-day event in your area.
By joining us at a Sneak Peek, you will:
• Have an in-depth orientation to the draft G3 Guidelines.
• Hear from experts from your area that were members of the multi-stakeholder technical working groups responsible for developing the G3 content
• Engage with GRI staff about the future of GRI and reporting
• Hear from opinion leaders about their first impressions of the draft G3 Guidelines
• Converse and network with speakers and participants about sustainability reporting and the G3 Guidelines
• Find out how to submit your detailed thoughts and opinions on the G3 draft

Attend a Sneak Peek and be sure you are equipped to participate in this important stage in the G3 Guidelines development process. Feedback gathered during the public comment period will directly affect the final version of the G3 Guidelines – which are scheduled for release in October 2006.

To register for a Sneak Peek in your area, please visit us at http://www.grig3.org/sp/index.php

[b]240+ Organizational Stakeholders (OS)[/b]

Over 30 people came together for the GRI event hosted by Bayer in Leverkusen, Germany on December 6. The event was open to both OS and German companies interested in participating in the program. Thank you to Bayer for this great opportunity to bring together leading German companies interested in GRI developments. The next OS event will take place in Brussels on January 13, 2006.

[b]Accepting applications for Energy Utility Sector Supplement working group[/b]

GRI is currently forming a multi-stakeholder working group responsible for developing the pilot version of the Energy Utilities Sector Supplement. As with all supplements, this will be designed to be used in conjunction with the GRI Guidelines.

The working group will consist of 18-20 experts from companies, accountancies, investors, non-profits, and labor groups and will be balanced geographically. The group will meet four times in different locations around the world over the course of next 14 months to discuss and draft the supplement content. The first meeting is currently planned for February 2006. If you are interested in more information, follow the links to the right to review the project fact sheet which outlines the expected timeline and project deliverables.

If you wish to nominate yourself or someone else for the group, please follow the links to the right to find a candidate information form. This needs to be completed and submitted to the GRI Secretariat (kubo@globalreporting.org) by 31 December 2005.

In addition to the smaller working group, a wider ‘practitioners network’ will be formed for those who wish to follow the work and to be available as resources for the working group. More information on the network will be posted on the project website as they become available.

[b]Sustainability reporting in the supply chain: an invitation to European multinational
companies[/b]

GRI and the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Technische Zusammenarbeit (GTZ) are inviting European multinational enterprises to join a new project that will help build sustainability reporting capacity in developing countries.

This exciting new project will facilitate GRI-based sustainability reporting by small and medium-sized suppliers of European multinational enterprises in developing countries. The large and small companies will work together to build sustainability reporting systems based on the GRI Guidelines and the GRI handbook for SME’s (High 5!). The goal is to use sustainability reports to help increase transparency and stable long-term partnerships in the supply chain of European multinational enterprises.

The project will start in December 2005 and will be finished in late 2007. GRI is actively seeking European multinationals that would like to take part. If you are interested in participating in this project please contact guidelines@globalreporting.org by March 2006.