We were pleased to welcome representatives from the ๐๐ฅ๐จ๐๐๐ฅ ๐๐๐ฉ๐จ๐ซ๐ญ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐ง๐ข๐ญ๐ข๐๐ญ๐ข๐ฏ๐ (๐๐๐) to the DevPro office today, including ๐๐๐ฌ๐ญ๐ข๐๐ง ๐๐ฎ๐๐ค, ๐๐ก๐ข๐๐ ๐จ๐ ๐๐ญ๐๐ง๐๐๐ซ๐๐ฌ ๐๐ญ ๐๐๐; ๐๐ซ. ๐๐๐ข๐ญ๐ข ๐๐๐ฅ๐๐๐ซ, ๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ญ๐ก ๐๐ฌ๐ข๐ ๐๐๐ ๐ข๐จ๐ง๐๐ฅ ๐๐ข๐ซ๐๐๐ญ๐จ๐ซ; ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ซ. ๐๐๐ก๐ฎ๐ฅ ๐๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ก, ๐๐๐ง๐ข๐จ๐ซ ๐๐๐ง๐๐ ๐๐ซ โ ๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ญ๐ก ๐๐ฌ๐ข๐.
GRI is an independent international standards organisation that pioneered the worldโs most widely used sustainability reporting standards, supporting organisations to understand and communicate their impacts in a credible and consistent way.
Our discussions explored ๐ฉ๐ซ๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐๐๐ฅ ๐๐ฉ๐ฉ๐ซ๐จ๐๐๐ก๐๐ฌ ๐ญ๐จ ๐๐ซ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ฌ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ญ๐๐ข๐ง๐๐๐ข๐ฅ๐ข๐ญ๐ฒ ๐ฆ๐๐๐ฌ๐ฎ๐ซ๐๐ฆ๐๐ง๐ญ ๐๐ง๐ ๐ซ๐๐ฉ๐จ๐ซ๐ญ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ข๐ง๐ญ๐จ ๐๐๐๐๐ฌ ๐๐ง๐ ๐ฏ๐๐ฅ๐ฎ๐ ๐๐ก๐๐ข๐ง๐ฌ, including the ๐ฉ๐จ๐ญ๐๐ง๐ญ๐ข๐๐ฅ ๐๐จ๐ซ ๐ ๐ฉ๐ข๐ฅ๐จ๐ญ ๐ฉ๐ซ๐จ๐ ๐ซ๐๐ฆ๐ฆ๐ to support selected Sri Lankan MSMEs to:
โข Understand their significant sustainability impacts
โข Collect and use basic sustainability data
โข Identify material sustainability topics
โข Understand how sustainability performance can influence market access and access to finance
โข Communicate their sustainability impacts more credibly
Given DevProโs extensive experience in agricultural value chain development, we particularly explored how an impact-measurement dimension could be embedded into our workโmoving beyond sustainability as a reporting requirement and demonstrating how better sustainability data can create tangible economic value for businesses and producers.
DevProโs current work places strong emphasis on improving market access, price transparency, market intelligence and access to finance for producers. Integrating sustainability measurement into these areas can help build stronger, more transparent and resilient value chains while enabling MSMEs to better respond to evolving market expectations.
We also discussed potential areas where GRI could contribute over the next two years as part of its forward-looking strategy, including opportunities to strengthen sustainability practices among businesses and value chains in Sri Lanka.
We look forward to exploring these opportunities and translating sustainability data into stronger businesses, better market opportunities and more resilient value chains.