In 2009 GRI and IFC launched the resource document Embedding Gender in Sustainability Reporting - A Practitioners’ Guide (2009). The extensive multi-stakeholder consultation process which supported the development of the Practitioners’ Guide indicated that while gender disaggregated data in sustainability reports is rarely reported, there is demand for this information. It also indicated the limitations of the current G3 Guidelines in its treatment of gender related issues. It highlighted that many gender equality issues can only be analyzed if gender disaggregated breakdowns of information are provided by reporting organizations, something which is not always explicitly asked for.
 
Therefore this has underlined the opportunity to significantly enhance the gender relevance of many existing indicators in the G3 Guidelines. Furthermore, the research and consultation highlighted emerging discussions about the usefulness of reporting on gender related information in the supply chain, and on the organizations interaction with the community, consumers and investors.
 
As a result of these conclusions, GRI has received support from the federally owned Deutsche Gesellschaft für Technische Zusammenarbeit (GTZ) to undertake a working group process between March and September 2010 to formulate a series of formal recommendations to GRI’s Technical Advisory Committee of gender related updates to the G3 Guidelines. Including approximately 15 stakeholders from diverse professional and regional backgrounds, the Working Group will be using GRI’s characteristic consensus seeking approach to come to a conclusion.