The Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) - provider of the world’s most widely-used sustainability reporting guidance - announces the launch of the Food Processing Sector Supplement and NGO Sector Supplement during the Amsterdam Global Conference on Sustainability and Transparency, 26 - 28 May 2010. The new Sector Supplements will enable food processing companies and non-profit organizations to measure and publicly disclose their performance on a range of economic, environmental and social indicators in a comparable way across the globe.

GRI Food Processing Sector Supplement
The global trend of environmental awareness, paired with increased consumer consciousness and their wish to understand how the food they eat is produced, shows food processing companies facing new expectations. The GRI Food Processing Sector Supplement aims to facilitate effective sector reporting and will help food processing companies to proactively communicate their economic, environmental and social performance. Sector disclosures cover customer health and safety, labor, affordable food, product and service labeling, animal welfare, and supply chain management of different types of products such as agricultural crops, seafood, meat, poultry, beverages, and ingredients.

A working group of 20 experts from food processing companies as well as stakeholder organizations developed the Supplement during a period of two years. Drafts attracted public comments from over 150 sector experts. “Food processing companies that work directly with agricultural suppliers can steer local effects of food production. This supplement provides the framework for comparing companies’ sustainability efforts in this sector”, said Maaike Fleur, GRI Sector Supplement Manager.

The GRI Food Processing Sector Supplement will be launched during the conference session ‘The Future of Sustainability Reporting in the Food Processing Industry’ on Friday 28 May at 11:00 am and will include speakers from Allianz Global Investors, Wageningen University and Research Center, and Nestlé.

GRI NGO Sector Supplement
The rise of the ‘third sector’ has led to an increasing demand for greater accountability and transparency from non-profit organizations. The NGO Sector Supplement was initiated by the INGO Accountability Charter as a response to further enhance sustainability reporting practice in the non-profit sector. Sector disclosures cover program effectiveness, resource allocation, ethical fundraising, and volunteers.

The Supplement was created by a multi-stakeholder working group, incorporating feedback from 160 experts. “The partnership with GRI has allowed NGOs to compare their accountability initiatives with best practice in other sectors. In demonstrating their own accountability, NGOs need to show that they use at least the same standards that they ask of others”, said Beris Gwynne, Director for Global Accountability at World Vision International.

The NGO Sector Supplement will be launched at the conference session 'The Future of NGO Reporting' on Thursday 27 May at 11:00 am, featuring speakers from Oxfam International, Centre for Human Rights and Environment and Amnesty International’s former Deputy Secretary.

Media Contact
Global Reporting Initiative
Gudrun Döhl
e: dohl@globalreporting.org
t: +31 (0)20 531 00 67