ISO 26000: Something for everyone?
Published on: Feb 09, 2011
The new ISO 26000 international social responsibility standard was launched to great fanfare late in 2010. Jason Perks of Two Tomorrows provides a high-level guide
With more than 400 sustainability-related standards and frameworks available today, companies would be forgiven for greeting the new international social responsibility standard from ISO with a weary yawn.
For those with strong sustainability strategies, that might well be an appropriate reaction to the launch of ISO 26000. But that’s a tiny fraction of the world’s companies. So for the vast majority, is the standard worth a second look?
Brand recognition, but no stamp of approval
With over a million users of its ISO 9000 series of quality standards, ISO – the International Organization for Standardization – has far more market presence than the sustainability focused frameworks and standards such as the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), the AA1000 series and even the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC). For this reason alone, it can’t be ignored. Being aligned to a recognised brand will be one of the main attractions for many companies.
However, as ISO 26000 is a guidance standard rather than a certification standard, users will not be able to claim certification to ISO 26000. We expect to see rapid development of alternatives to ISO 26000 certification that would allow companies to associate themselves with the brand. Countries may also try to bring in ISO26000-derived certifiable standards. Companies need to be aware of potential risks when considering how to use the standard
Benefits and pitfalls
The standard has taken more than five years to develop. With such a long gestation, we should expect a well developed and quite large new baby. And at 106 pages, it certainly doesn’t disappoint on size. But is it well developed?
As you’d expect from a document with so many contributors, there’s a lot in there. Those of us used to GRI, AA1000, UNGC and similar will find lots of familiar elements, but like some kind of strange patchwork quilt, they’ve been cut up and stitched back together in a new way. This lack of originality is both a strength and a weakness.
On the plus side:
- It provides an excellent reference for sustainability terms and definitions. This should help clear some of the woolly jargon that’s emerged over the past decade and provide a common language that bridges cultural and geographic borders.
- It provides a good basic introduction to the core sustainability subjects and related international norms and initiatives, enabling companies to navigate the sustainability world more easily.
- The standard is designed to align with many of the current popular standards. GRI has already provided an official linkage document. Companies can therefore theoretically adopt an ISO 26000 approach and build on existing systems. Two Tomorrows has identified linkages with both AA1000AS and the Tomorrow’s Value Rating.
- A fairly comprehensive coverage of issues from a recognised brand should help raise awareness at all levels of an organisation and in the wider value chain.
But there are some pitfalls:
- Companies must recognise that the subjects and issues in the guide are not exhaustive; rather they provide a starting point for ongoing identification of ever-changing issues the company must address. The relatively recent developments of materiality and stakeholder engagement are vital aspects of a sustainability approach – there is a danger companies may try to shortcut these steps and jump straight to the issues without considering their relevance and significance to both the company and its stakeholders. This is possibly the biggest risk as missed or badly managed issues can cause huge reputational and operational damage.
- There is little here that couldn’t be found elsewhere – companies that think this standard provides a new magic bullet to deal with sustainability will be sadly disappointed.
- Certification to ISO 26000 is not allowed; companies should steer clear of those offering certification.
- ISO 26000 will not replace the existing standards; instead, it will be used in conjunction with them. Companies need to be careful to choose the right suite of standards to suit their needs.
The key test for ISO 26000 in terms of promoting sustainability will not be the number of companies that reference it, but how companies use it to guide their approach to sustainability. Those that understand it well will be able to see where it fits with other standards and use it to nurture innovation, consistency and improved performance.
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