Global waste standard open for public comment

In the midst of an increasing global waste crisis and international recognition of the need for action, Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) is developing a new standard to help organisations report on and better understand the impact of the waste they generate. The draft of the GRI Waste Standard is currently open for a 75-day public comment period.

Judy Kuszewski, Chair of the GRI Global Sustainability Standards Board, said, “The draft GRI Waste Standard recognises that our linear, ‘take-make-waste’ approach is contributing towards a global waste crisis. As the world moves to a more circular economy, in which we treat waste as an input material for production, a new approach to reporting is needed.

“This standard will help companies better understand and measure their waste impacts, disclosing reliable and comparable data that ultimately supports better decisions. It also encourages creativity and lateral thinking — something that’s needed to tackle the issue internationally,” she added.

“Our public comment period is now open for contributions from anyone — irrespective of sector, type of business or region — to inform the development of the waste standard and help us ensure it is fit for purpose and as relevant as possible,” she said.

The scale of the issue — from the effect of plastics in marine ecosystems to the mounting disconnect between food waste generation and global hunger — illustrates why organisations must play their part by improving waste management practices.

The GRI Standards are reported to be the world’s most widely adopted sustainability reporting framework. The draft GRI Waste Standard recognises the importance of transitioning to a circular economy and includes:

• a fundamental shift in the perception of waste — from an unwanted burden to a source of valuable materials;
• greater emphasis on how decisions on procuring and using materials relate directly to waste generation and waste quality;
• new disclosures to understand how discarded waste has been created and the significance of this impact;
• recognition of an organisation’s impact on the value chain and reporting how this is managed.
   

The public comment period on the exposure draft of GRI 306: Waste is open until 15 July 2019. Click here to provide feedback.

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