Global Sustainability Standards Board seeks four new members

The Global Sustainability Standards Board (GSSB) is seeking four new members – a rare chance for Chief Sustainability Officers to help shape some of the most prominent frameworks for corporate sustainability reporting.

The GSSB is the entity responsible for developing and approving sustainability reporting standards issued by the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI). These are used as guidelines by thousands of companies worldwide to disclose sustainability risks and progress.

With new rules recently published by the ISSB and European Sustainability Reporting Standards, the reporting ecosystem is at a turning point. Future versions of the GRI standards are expected to bring more granularity and consistency to sustainability reporting, supporting broader corporate climate ambition and  harmonisation between these different frameworks. 

The Global Sustainability Standards Board is made up of 15 members representing diverse sectors, backgrounds and regions. Membership terms last three years, with the potential to be renewed once for another three years – so openings like these are rare.

Chief Sustainability Officers well placed to serve on Global Sustainability Standards Board

The Independent Appointments Committee (IAC) will be in charge of choosing the new members, and Chief Sustainability Officers are well placed to be selected. 

The call for nominations says members should come primarily from business or investment institutions (though reporting service providers are also welcome to apply). They should also “have practical knowledge and experience related to sustainability reporting and understand its broader context.

Other desired characteristics include analytical and communication skills, awareness of the sustainability reporting environment, integrity, objectivity and discipline, as well as “a commitment to GRI’s mission and the public interest”.

The board currently includes several people in Chief Sustainability Officer or similar roles: Jeff Robertson, Director, Environment & Sustainability at Bimbo; Giulia Genuardi, Head of Sustainability Planning and Performance Management at Enel; Deborah Ng, Head of ESG and Sustainability at GMO; Galya Tsonkova, Corporate Sustainability Policy and Reporting Manager at Coca Cola Bulgaria; and Vincent Kong, Project Manager - Sustainability at Sun Hung Kai Properties Limited (who will be leaving the board at the end of the year).

Global Sustainability Standard Boards: terms of membership

In terms of time commitment, candidates will be expected to attend two-day in-person meetings once or twice a year (approximately 140 hours in total), as well as 10 virtual meetings.

Applications close on Friday, November 3, and new members will begin their work on the GSSB in January 2024. Information on how to apply can be found here.