Asthildur Hjaltadottir-de la Fuente, Chief Sustainability Officer of the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), recently visited the Gulf Organisation of Research & Development (GORD) headquarters in Qatar Science and Technology Park (QSTP), Doha. During her meeting, she engaged in productive discussions with senior members of GORD Advisory, which is a Center of Excellence dedicated to guiding organizations towards environmental excellence and aiding them in their decarbonization and carbon mitigation endeavors. GRI develops the GRI Sustainability Reporting Standards and is the independent, international organization that helps businesses and other organizations take responsibility for their impacts, by providing them with the global common language to communicate those impacts. The GRI Standards are currently used by over 11,000 organizations spanning more than 100 countries.

Alongside members of GORD and GRI, the recent high-level meeting gathered senior executives from other prominent organizations in Qatar. Their primary objective was to deliberate on ways to enhance Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) reporting practices in Qatar and the broader region.

Dr. Yousef Alhorr, Founding Chairman of GORD, said, “Effective sustainability reporting is the compass by which we chart our course towards achieving our climate goals. Without a clear understanding of our impact, we cannot hope to change it. The efforts of GRI in creating a universal language for sustainability reporting have been instrumental in this regard, providing organizations worldwide with the means to measure, communicate, and ultimately enhance their commitment to a sustainable future."

Asthildur Hjaltadottir-de la Fuente, Chief Sustainability Officer at GRI, said, “It was great to have the opportunity to meet with representatives from GORD and some of their partners. What I have seen from my short visit to Qatar is that there is great interest and willingness to step up when it comes to sustainability and sustainability reporting, both from the government and the private sector. I therefore believe there is an important role for organizations like GORD to support all interested parties on their journey towards a more sustainable economy and world. I am sure that GRI can play an important part here as well and we look forward to strengthening our network in Qatar.”

In the future, GORD and GRI are expected to collaborate on providing capacity building in the realm of ESG reporting. The objective will be twofold. Firstly, to elevate the proficiency of professionals and ultimately the organizations in accurately measuring and reporting their ESG impacts, fostering a culture of transparency and accountability. Secondly, to provide guidance and expertise on how to align these reporting practices with global sustainability standards, enabling organizations to contribute more effectively to the broader sustainability agenda.