Social responsibility - A new standard by ISO
ISO, the International Organisation for Standardisation, has launched the development of an international standard providing guidelines for social responsibility (SR). It will not include requirements and will thus not be a certification standard.The...
ISO, the International Organisation for Standardisation, has launched the development of an international standard providing guidelines for social responsibility (SR). It will not include requirements and will thus not be a certification standard.
The setting for ISO's work on social responsibility lies in the general recognition that SR is essential to the sustainability of an organization. This recognition was expressed both at the 1992 Rio Earth Summit on the Environment and at the 2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) held in South Africa.
There is a range of different opinions as to the right approach to this subject, ranging from strict legislation at one end to complete freedom at the other. ISO will be looking for a middle way that promotes respect and responsibility based on known reference documents without stifling creativity and development.
SR is an evolving concept, with no universally accepted definition. SR is generally understood as the way organisations integrate social, economic, and environmental concerns into their values, culture, decision making, strategy and operations, and thereby establish better practices within the organisation, create wealth and improve society's well being. The aim of the standard is to encourage voluntary commitment to social responsibility. It will lead to common guidance on concepts, definitions and methods of evaluation.
The need for organisations in both public and private sectors to behave in a socially responsible way is becoming a generalized requirement of society.
ISO and the United Nations Global Compact Office (UNGCO) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to enhance their cooperation on the development of the ISO 26000 standard giving guidance on social responsibility (SR).
ISO and the International Labour Organisation (ILO) have also signed a memorandum of understanding to ensure that ISO 26000 will be consistent with the ILO conventions.
ISO has emphasized since launching its SR initiative that its standard will complement and add value to existing public and private sector initiatives in the field, including declarations and conventions of the United Nations and its constituent organisations. In line with this approach, the MoU will help to ensure consistency between ISO 26000 and the 10 Global Compact principles, which address human rights, labour, the environment and anti-corruption.
The MoU reinforces ISO's partnership with this important UN programme, in which over 3 700 companies in more than 100 countries are engaged along with labour and other organizations representing civil society. However, the agreement does not give the UNGCO any rights additional to those enjoyed by the other international organisations taking part in the development of ISO 26000.
ISO 26000 is being developed by the ISO working group on social responsibility in which experts nominated by 61 ISO member countries participate, along with 34 international organisations, including the UNGCO, European Commission, International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU), OECD, WHO and from the public or private sector.
ISO 26000 is intended for use by organisations of all types, in both public and private sectors, in developed and developing countries. ISO 26000 will contain guidelines, not requirements. It is not a management system standard and will not be for use as a certification standard like MSA EN ISO 9001:2000 and MSA EN ISO 14001:2004.
• Ing. Farrugia is the chairman of the Malta Standards Authority and since January this year member of the ISO General Council. Further information can be obtained by e-mailing fefarr@msa.org.mt
The setting for ISO's work on social responsibility lies in the general recognition that SR is essential to the sustainability of an organization. This recognition was expressed both at the 1992 Rio Earth Summit on the Environment and at the 2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) held in South Africa.
There is a range of different opinions as to the right approach to this subject, ranging from strict legislation at one end to complete freedom at the other. ISO will be looking for a middle way that promotes respect and responsibility based on known reference documents without stifling creativity and development.
SR is an evolving concept, with no universally accepted definition. SR is generally understood as the way organisations integrate social, economic, and environmental concerns into their values, culture, decision making, strategy and operations, and thereby establish better practices within the organisation, create wealth and improve society's well being. The aim of the standard is to encourage voluntary commitment to social responsibility. It will lead to common guidance on concepts, definitions and methods of evaluation.
The need for organisations in both public and private sectors to behave in a socially responsible way is becoming a generalized requirement of society.
ISO and the United Nations Global Compact Office (UNGCO) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to enhance their cooperation on the development of the ISO 26000 standard giving guidance on social responsibility (SR).
ISO and the International Labour Organisation (ILO) have also signed a memorandum of understanding to ensure that ISO 26000 will be consistent with the ILO conventions.
ISO has emphasized since launching its SR initiative that its standard will complement and add value to existing public and private sector initiatives in the field, including declarations and conventions of the United Nations and its constituent organisations. In line with this approach, the MoU will help to ensure consistency between ISO 26000 and the 10 Global Compact principles, which address human rights, labour, the environment and anti-corruption.
The MoU reinforces ISO's partnership with this important UN programme, in which over 3 700 companies in more than 100 countries are engaged along with labour and other organizations representing civil society. However, the agreement does not give the UNGCO any rights additional to those enjoyed by the other international organisations taking part in the development of ISO 26000.
ISO 26000 is being developed by the ISO working group on social responsibility in which experts nominated by 61 ISO member countries participate, along with 34 international organisations, including the UNGCO, European Commission, International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU), OECD, WHO and from the public or private sector.
ISO 26000 is intended for use by organisations of all types, in both public and private sectors, in developed and developing countries. ISO 26000 will contain guidelines, not requirements. It is not a management system standard and will not be for use as a certification standard like MSA EN ISO 9001:2000 and MSA EN ISO 14001:2004.
• Ing. Farrugia is the chairman of the Malta Standards Authority and since January this year member of the ISO General Council. Further information can be obtained by e-mailing fefarr@msa.org.mt