We live in a changing world, with global mega-trends affecting how we live and do business. Organizations need to address these issues and integrate them into operations in order to remain relevant, resilient and to thrive into the medium and longer term.

The Global Compact Network Canada is delighted to host Michael Meehan, Chief Executive at the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) for a conversation (webinar) about the socio-economic backdrop for reporting organizations (including global trends such as climate change and global initiatives such as the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals), and the role of sustainability reporting in this context. He will explore the importance of the reporting process, as well as the value of the sustainability information disclosed including for policy making and in the assessment of corporate risk profiles.

Helle Bank Jorgensen, Head, Global Compact Network Canada

Michael Meehan
Chief Executive Officer, Global Reporting Initiative (GRI)

Michael Meehan is the Chief Executive of the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), the global standard-setter in sustainability reporting. GRI has a global presence through the work of its Secretariat in Amsterdam and Focal Point offices in the United States, Brazil, South Africa, China, Colombia, India and Australia.

As a CEO, senior executive and advisor in the sustainability sector for almost two decades, Michael has built and managed several successful clean-tech businesses, including Carbonetworks (2004-2010) and iVeridis Corporation (2010-2013), both of which were focused on the intersection of innovation and sustainability.

Michael has also advised multinationals and governments around the world, including the White House, United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCC), and the California State Senate regarding sustainability issues. Michael was voted one of the “Top CEOs to Follow” by BusinessWeek magazine and is the inventor of several clean technology patents.

The Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) promotes the use of sustainability reporting as a way for organizations to become more sustainable and contribute to a sustainable global economy. GRI is an international not-for-profit organization, with a network-based structure. Its activity involves thousands of professionals and organizations from many sectors, constituencies and regions.

Bastian Buck
Director Sustainability Reporting Standard, Global Reporting Initiative (GRI)

Bastian has worked in various capacities for GRI since 2006. He has an in-depth institutional knowledge of GRI’s technical development history and played a key role in the successful development and launch of GRI’s G3.1 Guidelines in 2011 and the G4 Guidelines in 2013. He became Director Sustainability Reporting Standards in December of the same year.

Bastian has presented and lectured on sustainability reporting in more than 30 countries and has a vast experience in the moderation of consensus-seeking processes and the facilitation of international multi-stakeholder expert working group procedures.