If you’ve heard businesses talk about “sustainability” a lot lately and wondered how they show they’re actually doing something good for the environment and communities—they often use sustainability reporting standards. These are like rulebooks or guidelines that help organizations share clear, honest information about their environmental and social efforts.

Many people, whether they’re business owners, students, or just curious citizens, want to know how these standards work. So, let’s look at seven of the most widely used sustainability reporting standards that you might come across. (And if you’re curious about digging deeper, planet-positive.org is one place that shares helpful tools and ideas.)

1. Global Reporting Initiative (GRI)
This is one of the most popular frameworks out there. It helps companies report on their impact on the environment, people, and the economy. GRI is great for anyone looking for balanced and understandable reports.

2. Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB)
SASB helps organizations focus on things that matter most to investors. It's more industry-specific, which means it gives different advice depending on what kind of business you’re running—whether it's in fashion, food, or finance.

3. Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD)
The TCFD helps companies share information about how climate change could affect their money situation and how they’re planning for it. This one is growing fast, especially with governments showing more interest in these numbers.

4. CDP (formerly the Carbon Disclosure Project)
CDP collects data from thousands of companies about their greenhouse gas emissions, water use, and more. Investors and policymakers use CDP data to make smart choices about who they support.

5. Integrated Reporting Framework (<IR>)
This one brings together financial and non-financial info. It’s useful for businesses that want to show how sustainability is part of their long-term goals.

6. European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS)
These are set by the European Union and becoming important for companies in Europe or that do business there. ESRS covers how companies affect the planet and how risks like climate change could affect them.

7. UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
Not exactly a reporting standard, but many companies use the 17 SDGs as a way to structure their plans and show how they’re helping people and the planet.

Learning about these standards is a good step if you want to make sense of businesses’ sustainability claims or are trying to be more eco-aware yourself. Keep it simple and look for reports that actually make sense to you—that’s usually a good sign they’re doing things right.