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GRI (Global Reporting Initiative) is the independent, international organization that publishes the GRI Standards widely used by companies in implementing sustainability reporting. The GRI Secretariat is headquartered in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, having a network of seven regional offices to support organizations and stakeholders worldwide.

Background

Leveraging our extensive track record with the GRI

In response to growing calls worldwide for action on protecting natural capital and biodiversity, including the recommendations of the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD), in 2024 the GRI released an updated version of its Topic Standard for Biodiversity (GRI 101) and, for the first time, a standard for the Mining Sector (GRI 14).

Since 2022, we have worked on the Japanese translations of the revised GRI Universal Standards (GRI 1 to 3) and the GRI Sector Standards for Oil and Gas (GRI 11), Coal (GRI 12), and Agriculture, Aquaculture, and Fishing (GRI 13). The quality of our translations was rated highly, but so was our ability to be the first in Japan to establish a workflow compatible with the content management system used by the GRI. This achievement led to ongoing requests for us to handle the Japanese translations of new standards.

Approach

Accumulated expertise and active discussions for even better Japanese translations

The Japanese translations of new international standards serve as a basic reference point for many companies, which is why they must be carefully reviewed. Given the many technical terms and wordings for which there is no established translation, in the case of biodiversity for example, we first refer to expressions used in various international treaties and frameworks, such as the TNFD recommendations and the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. From there, we share draft translations and research documents with the use of a CAT tool and other in-house platforms in an effort to render suitable translations through a process of exhaustive discussions. We remain faithful to the original English text and, when necessary, make changes to commonly used Japanese translations.

Drawing on our previous work with the GRI Universal Standards, we deliver accurate Japanese translations for both Sector Standards and Topic Standards. Furthermore, hitherto discussions with, and reviews conducted by, peer reviewers who are experts in each sector have helped us expand our knowledge in various fields and improve the quality of our translations. For GRI 14 (Mining Sector), we were able to implement the translation process quite smoothly by leveraging the insights we had gained from translating GRI 11 (Oil and Gas Sector) and GRI 12 (Coal Sector).

Outcome

Hoping to deepen understanding of companies in Japan

The Japanese versions of the new standards, particularly biodiversity, have caught the eye of many companies in Japan. We hope that the Japanese translations will help broaden and deepen their understanding of the standards.

Initiatives in the sustainability field are currently being implemented in a dynamic fashion and at a very fast pace. Going forward, we will leverage the knowledge it has accumulated from translating the GRI Standards and continue to provide optimal translations in various fields, taking into account new concepts, trends, and initiatives.

Please also see: GRI Standards by languages