Erns, the ‘soul’ of GRI, the information system on sustainability (CSR, CSR or RBC – Responsible business commitment, as they want to call it now) that has been imposed in the world died suddenly on 15 June. I want to convey from here my sense of regret and admiration for your work. There are many memories that come to mind … Perhaps the most intense is that of the moment in which he participated in one of the sessions of the State Council of Spanish RSE (CERSE), our working group on Indicators. To a question of mine about the Amsterdam Declaration (GRI document 2009 that will also be part of his legacy), he answered with a fable about Franciscan and Jesuit monks, referring to the complementarity of strategies. And is that what we try, with very long-term goals, really, has some convent mysticism and patience. There have been many meetings and memories, very related to the attempt we made so that the Spanish Savings Banks and the financial system … would have been really responsible. (I) I remember the meetings with the one in CECA – the headquarters of the Cajas- , In Palma de Mallorca – at the CSR Conference during the Spanish Presidency of the European Union …
Rest in peace, Ernst. Your legacy lives on.
José Carlos González Lorente @jcarlosgonz
Syndicalist. Responsible for CSR / ISR / Sustainability of the Federation of Services of CCOO – In his Blog (See memorial page Ernst GRI)
(I include as part of my tribute my dedication to the end of my speech on the OECD Guidelines for multinationals that I did at the headquarters of the Spanish CEOE Madrid-July 10, 2017)
(View in Spanish – This is an informal translation. Sorry for the mistakes)
