FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Sustainserv to be a GRI Training Partner in Switzerland
Zurich, Switzerland and Boston, MA - October 30, 2009 – Recognizing it’s long track record in sustainability reporting, and its position as a leading consultant for the development of GRI-checked reports, Sustainserv has been selected to become a GRI Training Partner for Switzerland. In this capacity, the Sustainserv team will develop a series of workshops and training programs for companies and organizations interested in developing sustainability reports that align with the standards established by the Global Reporting Initiative.
The Global Reporting Initiative is a non-governmental organization based in Amsterdam that led the development of the world’s most widely used sustainability reporting framework. In 2008, over 1,000 companies issued reports that follow the GRI guidelines. Through a competitive application process, GRI selects Training Partners in countries throughout the world to provide training and education services to interested parties who wish to learn how to apply the GRI framework to their reporting activities.
“We see this as a great opportunity, not only for our own organizational development, but also for the many companies in Switzerland and elsewhere, that are interested in consistently and clearly reporting on their sustainability initiatives” said Sustainserv Director Matt Gardner “Companies are realizing that it is in their interest to communicate transparently with their stakeholders, but are frequently at a loss as to how to go about doing this. This program will help bridge that gap.”
Sustainserv Director Bernd Kasemir added “We expect that the impact of our Training Partnership with GRI will extend beyond the borders of Switzerland. In this day and age of globalized operations for many companies, as well as by virtue of our presence in the US, companies around the world can profit from our deep experience in sustainability reporting. We expect this to only be strengthened by our GRI Training Partner programs.”
The GRI Training Program will be spearheaded by Sustainserv Directors Bernd Kasemir and Stephan Lienin, and workshops and training programs are projected to start in early 2010.
About Sustainserv
Sustainserv is a management consultancy based in Zurich, Switzerland and Boston, Massachusetts that draws upon its global experience to help companies of all sizes drive business growth by integrating environmental performance and social responsibility into their operations and strategy. We work with leading companies around the world to assess their current sustainability activities including carbon footprints, design and implement sustainability programs, and develop environmental and corporate responsibility reports to communicate their efforts. Sustainserv has deep experience with the practical implementation of the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) guidelines for sustainability reporting, and helped its clients in realizing more than 30 GRI-compliant reports to date. For more information, visit www.sustainserv.com.
Contact: Dr. Matthew Gardner, Director, Sustainserv, Inc.
Ten Post Office Square, 8th Floor
Boston, MA 02109
617-692-2945
matthew.gardner@sustainserv.com
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