Developing a GPSNR Assurance Model (Members Version)

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GPSNR Company Self Assessment Form: Aligning Your Company’s Policy with the GPSNR Policy Framework

The Policy Framework was approved and adopted via a membership vote at the 2nd GPSNR General Assembly on 23 September. As part of the resolution, companies were given 6 months to align their public policies to include all the components of GPSNR’s Policy Framework, with the possibility of two extensions if evidence of progress is shown. Based on this timeline, companies will have until 23 March 2021 to submit their public policies for evaluation by GPSNR’s Compliance Panel. Full instructions on how companies should submit their public policies and other public documents will be provided in early 2021. 

The Self Assessment Form is a tool designed to help companies evaluate and track the degree of alignment between their public policies and other public documents and GPSNR’s Policy Framework. Conducting a self-assessment using this form does not constitute GPSNR approval of a company’s policies, and companies should avoid making public claims about approval of the policies before final assessment by GPSNR. Compliance with this requirement can only be confirmed by the GPSNR Compliance Panel and this will only be possible after member companies submit to GPSNR their policies or other public documents that reflect conformance with GPSNR’s Policy Framework in March 2021.

A summary timeline of the company policy approval process is depicted below:

Compliance Panel

In early 2021, the Policy Toolbox and Implementation Guidance Working Group will share the terms of reference for the three members of the Compliance Panel. GPSNR members will then be invited to nominate individuals to serve on the Compliance Panel. An Extra-ordinary General Assembly will be called in February 2021 for GPSNR members to vote on the candidates and three candidates will be voted to form the Compliance Panel. The panel will then assess the policies submitted by GPSNR member companies and determine if they are in compliance with GPSNR’s Policy Framework. More details on this will be shared with members once they are available.

Click here to download the GPSNR Company Self Assessment Form

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Developing a GPSNR Assurance Model

Assurance is defined as demonstrable evidence that specified requirements relating to a product, process, system, person or body are fulfilled. In other words, thinking about Assurance is to ponder the question: how do we protect the credibility of our claim?

The Executive Committee (EC) has been working on an Assurance model concept since late 2019. Following the request for proposal put up in August 2019, an external consultant was engaged to conduct a review of the options for various Assurance Models that would support the desired outcomes of the Platform. In early 2020, the report from the consultant, which discussed existing approaches to Assurance and included recommendations for GPSNR’s approach to Assurance, was submitted to the EC. 

The EC considered the input from the report and expanded upon its findings by conducting a thorough benchmarking of existing Assurance model approaches. Following this exercise, the EC identified and defined several key characteristics that merit inclusion in GPSNR’s Assurance model concept.

In the process of developing these key characteristics, the EC also took into account the purpose, value and benefits of an Assurance model. 

A robust Assurance model would provide a credible and effective system to manage risks by supporting the achievement of sustainability impacts, focusing on accurate assessments of compliance, ensuring the effectiveness of its assurance strategies through good information management systems, and finding additional ways to create value for stakeholders.

A webinar will be held on Friday, 26 June 2020 to introduce GPSNR members to a proposed Assurance model concept.

A tabled summary of the process and timelines around the development of the Assurance model concept up until now is included below:

January 2020 Consultant report submitted to EC for review
January – February 2020 EC discussions
March 2020 Deep dive into Assurance model benchmark by EC sub-group
April 2020 EC agrees on basic characteristics to build Assurance model from
April – June 2020 Design, discussion and refinement within EC

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