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A number of suggested amendments target regulations on employment relationships, wages and working hours, and how firms handle important changes for workers in an effort to increase openness on employment practices and working conditions.
The following three Standards have been redrafted, and comments are being accepted worldwide through October 4, 2024:
- GRI 402: Labor/Management Relations
- GRI 401: Employment
- GRI 202: Market Presence
An expert panel made up of representatives from the International Labour Organization (ILO), employers (International Organization of Employers), and workers (International Trade Union Confederation, Global Unions Federations) has led the process. Most importantly, it will guarantee that the GRI Labor Standards are completely in line with important international agreements on business and human rights, such as those established by the UN, the OECD, and the ILO.
Over the next 12 months, there will be two further phases of consultation for the labor project: one for working life and career development, and the other for workers’ rights and safeguards. Eleven GRI Standards will be updated in total, with the human rights-based perspective and due diligence serving as the guiding principles.
With the growing awareness that companies must do more to safeguard human and labor rights, as well as to provide acceptable working conditions and treatment, the GSSB has made updating labor-related disclosures a top priority. Achieving the SDGs and enhancing decision-making depend on improved disclosure and information. I urge everyone who is involved to check the updates and offer comments. The authors of this first set of GRI Labor Standards express their sincere gratitude to the members of the Technical Committee and Advisory Group for their invaluable contributions. The proposed revised Standards have more credibility and worldwide relevance since they reflect all GRI stakeholder communities and incorporate input from the ILO, IOE, and international trade unions.
The International Labor Organization (ILO) applauds GRI’s pledge to harmonize its reporting requirements with global labor norms. This alignment strengthens businesses’ contribution to SDG 8 on decent work and inclusive economic growth and promotes company transparency about labor-related impacts, initiatives, and performance. In order to make sure that the revisions represent the interests of the major players in the workplace, we also applaud GRI for involving IOE and ITUC in the periodic updating of the standards. ILO will keep working on the development of GRI’s Labor Standards and looks forward to their finalization.
In accordance with the UN and OECD principles on responsible corporate behavior and human rights, the IOE has worked with GRI for many years to assist firms in assessing and reporting their social and environmental impacts. It was a pleasure for me to represent IOE on the Technical Committee that examined all labor-related disclosures linked to GRI. Most importantly, these draft standards have the potential to favorably impact the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development because they were created in collaboration with the ILO and labor unions. I urge companies of all sizes to participate in the public comment process so that employers’ viewpoints are thoroughly represented in the final guidelines.
One of the main social and economic effects of most organizations is employment. That’s the largest influence for some people. Although their staff gives them a competitive edge, it also poses a serious risk to workplace human rights and sustainability in general. The GRI Labor Standards are now undergoing a significant change that will provide businesses with a powerful tool for risk management and performance enhancement in this crucial sector.