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GRI 404: Training and Education · 2016
Disclosure GRI 404-2

Programs for upgrading employee skills and transition assistance programs

Practical guidance for preparing this disclosure. Use this card to identify datapoints, verify claims and organise supporting evidence. For exact requirements, always refer to the official GRI source.

Dr Ross Kurinko
Reviewed by Dr Ross Kurinko LinkedIn Strategic ESG Advisor · IFRS S1 & S2 / GRI / ESRS expert GRI Certified Global Trainer · PhD, Cambridge · ESG-AI expert 15+ years on FTSE 100 & Fortune Global 500 disclosures Canary Wharf, London LRA educational guidance · Not issued or endorsed by GRI
To prepare this disclosure
Disclosure focus

This disclosure asks an organisation to explain whether it has programmes that help employees build new skills or move into different work, and whether it provides support for people whose jobs are changing or ending. The focus is on the practical arrangements in place, not just a policy statement: what the programmes are, who can use them, and what kind of help they provide.

In practice, the reporting should show the breadth of coverage across the organisation. That means clarifying whether these programmes apply only in certain locations, business units or employee groups, or whether they are available more widely across operations. If coverage is uneven, it is useful to explain where the gaps are and why they exist.

This LRA educational guidance supports disclosure preparation. For the exact requirements, always refer to the official GRI source.

Before you start

A quick mental checklist before you prepare this disclosure — tick each as you settle it.

Preparation

Key datapoints to prepare

Datapoint What to capture Evidence hint Owner
Skills upgrade support Describe the kinds of employee development programmes in place and the support given to help staff build or refresh skills. Training plan, learning catalogue, budget approvals, attendance records, and internal summaries of development support. HR / Learning and Development
Career transition support Describe the support offered to help people stay employable and manage the end of working life when they retire or leave employment. Outplacement materials, retirement support packs, leaver process notes, and records of transition services offered. HR / Employee Relations
+ Show GRI 404-2 sub-elements (LRA working checklist)

How to prepare it

1Set the reporting boundary first: decide which workforce groups, locations, and time period the disclosure will cover, and make sure that choice is applied consistently across both parts of the item.
2Define the two content buckets in plain terms: one for skills-upgrading support given to employees, and one for help offered when people are leaving work or moving toward retirement, so the reporting team uses the same interpretation throughout.
3Gather the underlying records for each bucket: programme descriptions, participant lists or counts, dates, delivery notes, and any internal approvals or policy documents that show the support was actually provided.
4Compile the disclosure in the format you will publish: for the first part, state the kind of support and how broad it was; for the second, describe the transition support and how it helped people remain employable or manage the end of employment.
5Record any exclusions, scope changes, or one-off adjustments clearly, including what was left out and why, so a reviewer can see how the final figures or narrative were built.
6Check the draft against the official source and your evidence pack line by line, confirming that the wording, scope, and supporting material match the underlying requirement before sign-off.
Request the data

Request the learning and exit-support evidence

Translate the disclosure into an internal business question — then adapt it to your organisation's own language.

What people-development and exit-support arrangements did we run in the period, and what proof do we have for them?

Use your organisation’s own labels first, then map them to the disclosure. For example, you may talk about learning, capability building, redeployment support, retirement support, or leaver support rather than using framework terms in the request.

Weak request

Please send anything you have for GRI 404-2 on employee skills programmes and transition assistance.

Why it fails: It uses framework language only, gives no boundary or period, and does not tell the owner what records to pull or how to describe them in the organisation’s own terms.

Better request

Please send the [period] evidence for our learning, capability-building, redeployment, retirement, and leaver-support activity in [business area]. Include the programme names you use internally, who was covered, how it was delivered, the source record, and any exclusions or changes. I’ll map it for reporting and check the official source before sign-off.

Formal email template
Subject: [Period] people-development and leaver-support evidence request

Hi [Name],

I’m preparing the sustainability reporting pack and need your help with the evidence for our learning and exit-support activity for [reporting period].

Please send the following in your team’s own terms, then we’ll map it to the reporting disclosure:
- the main programmes or support offered to build employee capability during the period
- any support offered to help colleagues stay employable or manage career endings linked to retirement or leaving the business
- the scope covered, including which employee groups were included
- the source documents or system extracts that show what was delivered
- any notes on exclusions, exceptions, or changes during the period

If possible, please include the period covered, the business area, and the owner for each item.

A possible LRA training template is attached for reference only; please adapt this to your organisation and check the official source before sign-off.

Thanks,
[Your name]
Short Teams / Slack version
Hi [Name] — could you share the [period] learning / capability-building and leaver-support evidence for [business area]? Please use your team’s own terms, include scope, source, and any supporting docs. I’ll map it for reporting and check the official source before sign-off. Thanks.
Industry examples
Manufacturing

Context. A plant has a structured training academy plus support for workers whose roles are ending because of line changes.

Adapted request. Please share the [period] evidence for the plant academy, upskilling courses, redeployment support, and retirement/leaver support in [site name]. Include the internal programme names, the worker groups covered, delivery method, source records, and any exclusions.

Example response. Academy induction, forklift refresher, and maintenance upskilling logs; redeployment workshop pack; retirement briefing slides; leaver support leaflet; attendance reports from the LMS and HR case file references.

Professional services

Context. A firm runs digital skills training and career-change support for staff affected by restructuring or retirement.

Adapted request. Please send the [period] evidence for digital capability training, career-change support, and retirement/leaver guidance across [practice / office]. Use your team’s own labels, and include the audience, delivery format, source files, and any exceptions.

Example response. Digital skills curriculum, coaching schedule, redundancy support guide, retirement planning webinar deck, attendance list, and HR case notes showing the affected population and delivery dates.

Draft your disclosure

Notes that turn data into a disclosure

LRA training templates — adapt them to your organisation, and check the official source before sign-off.

Method note

Define the reporting boundary, the employee groups included, and the basis used to count each support activity so readers can see what was treated as a programme and what was treated as assistance.

Context note

Explain what the figures show about how the organisation helped people build skills for ongoing work and supported those approaching retirement or leaving employment.

Fluctuation statement

If the mix or volume changed materially, note whether this was driven by changes in workforce needs, programme design, or the number of employees using the support.

Content index entry
GRI 404-2 Programs for upgrading employee skills and transition assistance programs — [location / page] / [notes]
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Preparation tools & forms

Professional preparation tools for GRI 404-2 — free with an LRA Community membership. Register once (it's free) and every download unlocks, together with the Disclosure Library, templates and the LRA AI-assistant.

Free · Community members
Go deeper · GRI 404-2
Learn to prepare this disclosure end-to-end

This guide covers one disclosure. The GRI Standards Certified Training — taken as a bundle with an ESRS course — walks the full workflow: datapoints, evidence, drafting and assurance, with exercises on your own data.

Available as Guided Flex, Live Cohort, 1:1 Expert Mentorship or Corporate Programme.

Assurance readiness

For each claim, check the evidence

ClaimRiskEvidence to check
We have described the kinds of staff development activity we ran and the support we gave to help people build their skills.An assurer may test whether the description is complete, whether the activities were grouped consistently, and whether the support claimed is actually reflected in underlying records.Training catalogue or programme list; course outlines; attendance and completion records; internal guidance on how activities were classified; sample employee files or learning records; management review notes confirming the wording used in the report.
We have set out the support we offered for people moving on from the business, including help that was meant to keep them employable and help with retirement or exit planning.An assurer may probe whether the reported support was actually provided, whether the population covered was defined consistently, and whether the wording overstates what was available versus what was used.Policy or programme documents for transition support; records of sessions, workshops or one-to-one support; eligibility criteria; participant lists or anonymised usage data; communications issued to affected staff; sign-off evidence showing the final disclosure was checked against source records.
The reporting boundary used for this disclosure is documented.Coverage exclusions or late scope changes are not evidenced.Boundary memo, entity or site list, and sign-off record.
The source data reconciles to the working file used for reporting.Figures or statements are copied into the disclosure without a traceable source.Source-system export, calculation workbook, and reconciliation note.

Evidence pack to prepare

Common reporting gaps

The information is presented without a date or as-at point.The scope or boundary of the statement is left undefined.Key terms are used inconsistently across the report.Material changes since the previous period are not disclosed.Assertions are made without supporting detail or a source record.Boilerplate is used that does not actually answer what is asked.
Common gaps

Mistakes to avoid when collecting the data

Wrong owner
The request goes to HR or L&D in framework language, but the real source sits with the teams that run training, redeployment, retirement support, or exit support.
Scope left vague
No one agrees whether the data covers the whole organisation, only certain sites, or just selected employee groups, so the final pull is not comparable.
Period basis mixed up
One team reports by calendar year while another uses the financial year or a rolling period, which makes the combined dataset inconsistent.
+ Show 5 more

Where judgement is often needed

What counts as a skills-upgrade programme
Decide whether to include only structured learning offered by the organisation or also coaching, mentoring, job rotation and similar support, then explain the rule you used and keep it consistent across sites.
Which people sit inside the reporting boundary
Set out whether you include permanent staff only or also fixed-term, part-time, agency and other workers where they are part of your people model, and disclose any exclusions or separate treatment.
How to handle businesses added or sold during the year
Use a clear cut-off for acquisitions and disposals, explain whether you include activity only from the date control changed, and note any material boundary shifts that affect comparability.
+ Show 5 more
Examples

Illustrative examples

Synthetic, written by LRA — not from a company report, not text from any standard.

Illustrative (synthetic) example — Manufacturing

We ran a mix of in-role learning and formal development support for 420 employees, covering technical refreshers, digital tools, and supervisory skills; 315 people took part, and 210 completed more than one activity. We also offered career-end support to 38 colleagues whose employment ended through retirement or redundancy, including guidance on next steps, CV help, and access to external advice; 29 used at least one service, and 12 joined a follow-up session after leaving.

This example shows how to describe both capability-building support for current staff and practical help for people leaving the business, using plain language and internally consistent figures.

Illustrative (synthetic) example — Healthcare services

Our group provided learning support to 260 staff through classroom sessions, coaching, and funded qualifications aimed at clinical, digital, and people-management skills; 198 employees used the offer, and 144 completed two or more elements. For colleagues whose roles ended because of retirement or organisational change, we provided transition help such as retirement planning, job-search guidance, and signposting to outside services; 41 people were eligible, 33 accepted support, and 9 attended a post-exit check-in.

This example combines upskilling activity with transition assistance for leavers, while keeping the wording distinct from the source and the numbers mathematically consistent.

Company reportsReal published reports
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How companies report GRI 404-2 in practice

Real reports where this topic is disclosed. These are report practice, not exact disclosure templates to copy.

Tanla Platforms Limited
Software and Services · India · 2025
Open report →
Tanla Platforms Limited’s Integrated Report FY25 provides coverage of employee welfare programs, noting communication channels such as email advisories, newspapers, websites, stock exchange intimations, and in-person meetings on page 216. The report also details programs for upgrading employee skills and transition assistance, referencing GRI 404-2 on page 378, and mentions specific training initiatives including AI/ML training for 269 employees and participation across behavioral and functional training categories (pages 66-67). However, the report does not clearly specify the extent or impact of these welfare programs beyond communication methods, nor does it provide detailed outcomes related to employee transition assistance.
ASE Technology Holding Co., Ltd.
Semiconductors · Taiwan · 2024
Open report →
ASE Technology Holding Co., Ltd.'s 2024 CSR Report provides information on employee skill development programs, including non-mandatory trainings aimed at improving employee skills (p.253) and talent cultivation initiatives detailed under "6.2 Talent Cultivation and Development ASEH" (p.263). The report mentions various training formats such as new employee training, management academy courses, and self-paced online learning (p.180), as well as specific efforts to enhance knowledge transfer and cross-departmental collaboration (p.182). However, the report does not clearly specify transition assistance programs or detailed metrics on training outcomes, leaving some aspects of employee development unclear.
Firstsource Solutions Limited
Professional Services · India · 2025
Open report →
Firstsource Solutions Limited's ESG Report FY 2024-25 includes coverage of operational improvements such as SOP navigation, next-best actions, autonomous execution, and an end-to-end claims adjudication system with traceability, as noted on page 33. The report also details employee-related initiatives including retention, talent acquisition, apprenticeships, career mobility programs like FirstLeap and THRIVE, and transition assistance, with information found on pages 96-104 and 128-129. However, while some environmental targets for energy and emissions reduction are mentioned on page 195, the report indicates emissions continue to rise, and the overall progress or impact of these initiatives is not fully clear.
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Scenarios to work through

A manufacturer ran two in-year initiatives: a digital-skills course for 48 production staff and a mentoring scheme for 12 supervisors moving into team-lead roles. The draft note currently says only that the business 'supports development'.

QWhat should the preparer check before finalising the narrative so it properly describes the training activity?
Reveal model answer →

A services firm offered outplacement workshops, CV clinics and interview coaching to 19 employees whose roles ended after a restructuring. The draft disclosure mentions the restructuring but leaves out the support offered after employment ended.

QHow should the preparer decide whether this belongs in the disclosure and how it should be framed?
Reveal model answer →

A retailer provided a six-month retraining pathway for 30 store workers, but only 18 completed it before year-end. The draft text says '30 employees completed retraining'.

QWhat is the correct way to handle the numbers and wording in the narrative?
Reveal model answer →

A group has a career-ending support package for employees leaving at retirement, but it is only available to staff in one country and only when a manager refers them. The draft disclosure says the group has a 'global transition programme'.

QWhat judgement should the preparer make about describing the programme's scope?
Reveal model answer →
Framework references

Related framework references

How this disclosure maps across the major reporting frameworks.

GRI
GRI 404-2
within GRI 404: Training and Education
Open official source →
Primary
Related & explore
Go deeper · GRI 404-2
Learn to prepare this disclosure end-to-end

This guide covers one disclosure. The GRI Standards Certified Training — taken as a bundle with an ESRS course — walks the full workflow: datapoints, evidence, drafting and assurance, with exercises on your own data.

Available as Guided Flex, Live Cohort, 1:1 Expert Mentorship or Corporate Programme.

FAQ

Questions this page answers

For GRI 404-2 Training and Education, what data do I need to collect before I start drafting the disclosure?+
How do I use the step-by-step 'how to prepare' section for GRI 404-2 Training and Education?+
What should I include in the evidence pack for GRI 404-2 Training and Education?+
What are the four assurance claims I should verify for GRI 404-2 Training and Education?+
What are the most common mistakes on a GRI 404-2 Training and Education disclosure page?+
How can I turn the GRI 404-2 Training and Education page into a draft disclosure?+
How do I use the synthetic illustrative example for GRI 404-2 Training and Education without copying it blindly?+
Where do I find the workbook and printable card for GRI 404-2 Training and Education, and what are they for?+
How should an HR or data owner use the GRI 404-2 Training and Education page to assign ownership and gather evidence?+
Can I reuse data from GRI 404-2 Training and Education for ESRS S1 Own Workforce reporting?+
More questions this page can help with
GRI 404-2 Training and Education: what are the two datapoints I should ask my HR team for?GRI 404-2 Training and Education evidence pack: what should I put in it for assurance?GRI 404-2 Training and Education common mistakes: what should I check before sign-off?GRI 404-2 Training and Education workbook download: how do I use the .xlsx file?GRI 404-2 Training and Education draft disclosure: what can I lift into my report?GRI 404-2 Training and Education synthetic example: how do I adapt the example to my own data?GRI 404-2 Training and Education assurance claims: how do I test claim, risk and evidence?GRI 404-2 Training and Education content index line: what should I include in the index?GRI 404-2 Training and Education visualisation ideas: how can I present the data clearly?GRI 404-2 Training and Education from company reports: how do I use the linked examples?GRI 404-2 Training and Education ESRS S1 correspondence: can I reuse the same source data?GRI 404-2 Training and Education preparation checklist: what should I do first?
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