GRI Launches Updated Standards: GRI 102 Climate Change & GRI 103 Energy — What It Means for Indian Companies

The urgency to act on climate change and energy transition has never been clearer. From global policy frameworks like the Paris Agreement and the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to national commitments under India’s updated Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), stakeholders everywhere demand more detailed, transparent, and credible corporate disclosures on climate and energy impacts.

In June 2025, the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) launched two major updates to its reporting framework:

• GRI 102: Climate Change
• GRI 103: Energy

These standards are designed to help companies report in line with the rising expectations of investors, regulators, and civil society — and to improve transparency on how businesses contribute to, and are affected by, climate change and energy use.

For Indian companies — especially those preparing BRSR, BRSR Core, or integrated ESG reports — these new GRI standards offer both challenges and opportunities. This blog explores what has changed, why it matters, and how Indian businesses can use these updates to strengthen disclosures, build trust, and align with national and global climate goals.

Background: Why new GRI standards were needed

The original GRI Topic Standards on energy (GRI 302) and emissions (GRI 305) have served companies for years. But the ESG landscape has evolved dramatically:

• The Paris Agreement (2015) and COP28 targets raised global climate ambition.
• The Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) popularized the concept of climate risk management.
• The ISSB introduced IFRS S2 focusing on climate-related financial disclosures.
• SEBI’s BRSR Core (2023) mandated assured disclosures for Indian companies in high-impact sectors, including Scope 3 emissions and supply chain data.

Stakeholders now expect detailed disclosures on both the risks and opportunities related to climate change, and a clearer picture of energy transition strategies.

Recognizing this, GRI developed GRI 102 and GRI 103 to replace and expand upon older topic standards, better reflecting the current policy, science, and business context.

GRI 102: Climate Change — key features

GRI 102: Climate Change is built around the principle that companies should report how they:

• Contribute to climate change (e.g., direct and indirect emissions).
• Are affected by climate change (e.g., physical and transition risks).
• Manage and mitigate these impacts.

Key new elements include:

• Alignment with TCFD: Encourages disclosures on governance, strategy, risk management, and metrics/targets related to climate.
• Focus on adaptation and mitigation: Requires companies to describe both how they reduce emissions and how they adapt to physical climate risks.
• Value chain emissions: Expands coverage of Scope 3 emissions and requires disclosure on data collection methodologies.
• Climate targets and progress: Companies must disclose science-based targets, if any, and report performance against them.
• Transition plans: Encourages description of credible transition strategies, including changes in business models and investments.

GRI 103: Energy — key updates

GRI 103: Energy updates and replaces GRI 302, with a focus on:

• Energy mix transparency: Detailed breakdown of renewable vs non-renewable sources.
• Energy consumption and efficiency: Both absolute and intensity metrics.
• Transition to renewables: Reporting on investments in renewable energy, energy storage, and demand-side management.
• Upstream and downstream impacts: How energy sourcing and use affects the broader value chain.
• Link to climate change: Energy data as a foundation for calculating GHG emissions.

Why this matters now?

For Indian companies, the timing of these standards is significant:

• India aims to achieve net-zero emissions by 2070 and increase the share of renewables to 50% of total energy capacity by 2030.
• The BRSR Core framework requires companies in high-impact sectors to assure Scope 1, Scope 2, and partially Scope 3 emissions.
• Indian investors increasingly demand alignment with global frameworks like TCFD and ISSB.
• Indian companies face growing pressure from global supply chain partners to disclose robust climate and energy data.

Integrating GRI 102 and GRI 103 into BRSR or integrated ESG reports helps Indian companies:

• Meet both national compliance and global expectations.
• Show proactive alignment with international best practices.
• Improve data readiness for assurance under BRSR Core.

Practical steps: How Indian companies can use these standards

1. Update materiality assessments

Climate change and energy have likely been material topics for most companies, but the new standards encourage a deeper, stakeholder-driven reassessment — particularly on Scope 3 emissions and physical climate risks.

2. Strengthen data systems

Collect reliable data on:

• Renewable energy purchases and generation.
• Detailed Scope 1, 2, and especially Scope 3 emissions.
• Energy intensity by product, site, and process.

3. Link narrative disclosures with data

Combine quantitative data with narrative disclosures on governance, strategy, and risk management:

• Board and management oversight of climate issues.
• Scenario analysis of future climate risks.
• Investments in energy transition.

4. Align with BRSR Core

Use GRI 102 and 103 to build data systems that also meet BRSR Core requirements, such as:

• Emissions intensity (per unit revenue or production).
• Climate risk mapping.
• Value chain engagement.

5. Plan for assurance

The detailed, standardized structure of GRI 102 and 103 helps prepare disclosures that are easier to assure — critical as BRSR Core requires limited assurance.

The way forward: Beyond compliance to leadership

India is at a pivotal moment in its climate journey. As the world’s fastest-growing major economy, how Indian businesses manage climate and energy impacts will shape national and global progress.

The new GRI 102 and 103 standards offer Indian companies a roadmap to move from reactive compliance to strategic ESG leadership. By integrating these updates with BRSR, BRSR Core, and other frameworks, companies can produce reports that are:

• Meaningful to stakeholders.
• Aligned with global expectations.
• Grounded in data robust enough for assurance.

At ESG360, we believe sustainability reporting is more than a regulatory requirement — it’s an opportunity to tell your story, engage stakeholders, and drive real change.