Highlights
The Global Reporting Initiative (GRI, the world’s leading sustainability reporting standard), has partnered with Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) and IRIS Business Services to build the GRI Sustainability Taxonomy - transforming the GRI standards into a machine-readable digital format (XBRL). This collaboration marks a pivotal shift toward making sustainability disclosures across the world more data-focussed, comparable, and interoperable.
For almost three decades, GRI Standards have shaped how organizations communicate their sustainability performance and impact. Yet, most reports are narrative and PDF-based, limiting their accessibility for digital analysis, benchmarking, and assurance.
To meet the needs of investors, regulators, and stakeholders demanding standardized, digital-first sustainability data, GRI set out to:
Achieving this required deep technical expertise in taxonomy architecture, data modelling, and sustainability frameworks - a space where TCS brought its global experience and expertise.
TCS has been a partner for GRI for more than a decade. We have now worked together to digitally transform their sustainability reporting standards, creating a foundation for transparent, standardized and machine-readable ESG data — empowering organizations to accelerate and measurably increase their impact.
GRI collaborated with TCS to design, develop, and deliver a comprehensive XBRL taxonomy that digitizes the GRI Standards. The solution covered the full lifecycle - from conceptual design to publication and implementation support.
Key solution highlights
The digitalization of the GRI standards represents a crucial evolution in sustainability impact reporting. With the support of TCS, we have developed a taxonomy that connects standards and technology and has the potential to unlock the full power of sustainability data.
The first version of the GRI Sustainability Taxonomy was released in June 2025. It marks a major milestone in the digitalization of sustainability reporting.
Key benefits ::
Machine-readable transparency: Enables organizations worldwide to report sustainability data that is structured, searchable, and comparable.
Global interoperability: Supports alignment of reporting using GRI and other standards and frameworks, such as ESRS, ISSB, and SDG-linked disclosures.
Operational efficiency: Simplifies report preparation, validation, and assurance through automated data checks.
Scalability: Provides a digital foundation for sector-specific and jurisdictional extensions in the future.
By supporting GRI to take this vital step forward, TCS has set a new global benchmark for transparent and standardized digital sustainability disclosure.
Why TCS
TCS combined domain expertise in sustainability, ESG and regulatory reporting, deep experience in digital taxonomy design, and advanced data engineering capabilities to bring GRI’s digital vision to life.
Together with its partner, a global leader in XBRL solutions, TCS enabled GRI to reimagine its framework — from static reporting to a dynamic, data-driven ecosystem that fosters accountability and trust.
Looking ahead
The GRI Sustainability Taxonomy signals a pivotal shift toward a digital and interoperable future for sustainability reporting. The GRI Sustainability Taxonomy provides the foundation for sourcing robust, comparable, machine-readable sustainability data across jurisdictions. Emerging technologies such as AI-assisted taxonomy modelling and automated validation will further enhance data accuracy and assurance, driving transparency across the reporting value chain.
TCS continues to collaborate with GRI and the wider ecosystem to advance open digital standards and cross-framework interoperability, enabling a more connected, transparent, and accountable global reporting environment.