Planned for publication in 2010, ISO 26000 will provide guidelines for social responsibility. The guidance will be voluntary, and will not include requirements. Therefore, it will not serve as a certification standard. In developing the guidelines, ISO hopes to encourage voluntary commitment to social responsibility. The purpose of ISO 26000 is to give organizations harmonized, internationally agreed guidance for social responsibility, drawing on best practice and consistent with relevant declarations and conventions by the United Nations and its constituents, notably the International Labour Office.
The Swedish Standards Institute and the Brazilian Association of Technical Standards are providing leadership for the ISO Working Group on Social Responsibility. The Working Group on Social Responsiblity has been given the task of drafting an International Standard for social responsibility that will be published in 2010 as ISO 26000.
| Sub-Category |
Private Sector
|
| Standard for |
Guidelines for social responsibility
|
| Focus |
Promte of social responsibility based on known reference documents without stifling creativity and development
|
| Structure |
Per the Working Group on Social Responsiblity the standard should include the following:
Assist organizations in addressing their social responsibilities while respecting cultural, societal, environmental and legal differences and economic development conditions
Provide practical guidance related to operationalizing social responsibility, identifying and engaging with stakeholders, and enhancing credibility of reports and claims made about social responsibility
Emphasise performance results and improvement
Increase confidence and satisfaction in organizations among their customers and other stakeholders
Be consistent with and not in conflict with existing documents, international treaties and conventions and existing ISO standards
Not be intended to reduce government's authority to address the social responsibility of organizations
Promote common terminology in the social responsibility field
Broaden awareness of social responsibility
|
| Conformity Requirements |
The standard will not include requirements and will thus not be a certification standard.
|
| Auditing System |
Voluntary adoption by participating organizations.
|
| Geographic Focus |
Worldwide
|
| Website |
http://www.iso.org/sr
|