The Food and Beverages Sector Standard will be the first to test GRI’s new streamlined approach to developing Sector Standards. The aim is to make the development process more efficient while maintaining GRI’s established due process.
The Food and Beverages Sector Standard will be the first to test GRI’s new streamlined approach to developing Sector Standards. The aim is to make the development process more efficient while maintaining GRI’s established due process.
𝗙𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗱𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁: GRI aims to significantly reduce the time required to develop Sector Standards, enabling new sector guidance to be delivered more efficiently.
𝗔 𝗳𝗼𝗰𝘂𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗱𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀: The approach will identify the sustainability topics and impacts that are particularly significant to a sector, helping establish the scope of the relevant guidance.
𝗚𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗲𝘅𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗚𝗥𝗜 𝗧𝗼𝗽𝗶𝗰 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗿𝗱𝘀: Rather than creating an entirely new set of disclosures for every industry, the approach will connect sector-specific impacts with relevant existing GRI Topic Standards.
𝗟𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗱𝘂𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: Building on existing standards can reduce the need for overlapping disclosures and create a more streamlined reporting structure.
𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗻𝘂𝗲𝗱 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: While the development process is being streamlined, GRI will continue to follow its established due-process approach and incorporate input from relevant stakeholders and sector experts.
𝗔 𝗺𝗼𝗱𝗲𝗹 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗳𝘂𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝘀𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘀: As the first project under the new approach, the food and beverage standard will also help GRI assess how the methodology can be applied to future Sector Standards.
The new standard is still under development and does not yet introduce a new reporting requirement. However, its development gives companies an opportunity to assess whether their current reporting systems are equipped to capture the impacts that matter most across their operations and value chains. Companies can use this period to strengthen several areas:
𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄 𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝘀𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗰𝘁𝘀: Reassess the environmental and social impacts associated with operations, products and value chains.
𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗴𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝘃𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗲-𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝘃𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆: Identify where significant impacts may arise across agricultural, aquaculture, fishing and other sourcing activities.
𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗲 𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗮 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀: Assess whether relevant sustainability data is available, reliable and supported by appropriate internal processes.
𝗘𝗻𝗴𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝘀𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘃𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗲-𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗻𝗲𝗿𝘀: Strengthen processes for obtaining sustainability information that sits outside direct company operations.
𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄 𝗲𝘅𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗚𝗥𝗜 𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴: For companies already using GRI Standards, assess whether current disclosures adequately address the issues most relevant to the sector.
𝗠𝗼𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗿𝗱’𝘀 𝗱𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁: Track the emerging guidance and identify where reporting processes, governance or data systems may need to evolve.
These steps can help companies build readiness without waiting for the final standard to be published.
The Food and Beverages Sector Standard remains under development, with GRI currently seeking sector expertise and stakeholder input. Applications for the Food and Beverages Sector Standard Peer Review Group are open until 23 October 2026, providing an opportunity for relevant experts to contribute to the development process. The project is expected to continue through 2027, with GRI targeting approval of the final Sector Standard in the fourth quarter of 2027. Until then, companies should avoid making assumptions about the final requirements. Instead, the development process provides a window to strengthen existing reporting practices, improve value-chain data and follow how the standard evolves. For food and beverage companies, preparing for this shift is not simply about collecting more metrics. It means understanding where significant impacts occur, how they move through the value chain, and whether the underlying data and governance processes can support credible reporting. Strengthening these foundations now can help companies respond more effectively as sector-specific guidance develops.
Cognitud supports organizations in translating evolving sustainability reporting requirements into practical reporting, data and governance processes. For food and beverage companies, this includes assessing applicable sustainability reporting requirements, identifying and prioritizing material environmental and social impacts, conducting materiality and impact assessments, mapping sustainability impacts and data across the value chain, and identifying reporting, governance and data gaps. Cognitud also helps organizations strengthen supplier and value-chain data collection, develop sustainability reporting processes and controls, and align their disclosures with GRI and other relevant sustainability reporting frameworks. As the GRI Food and Beverages Sector Standard takes shape, companies have an opportunity to go beyond preparing for a future reporting requirement and build stronger visibility into the impacts that matter most to their business and stakeholders.
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