Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Understanding ISO 26000

WHAT IS ISO 26000?

ISO 26000 is an International Standard (by the International Standards Organisation, ISO) created to guide organisations on Social Responsibility. It is drawn up to provide support or a reference for all kinds of organisations in both private and public sectors both in developed and developing countries, as well as those who may be referred to as ‘being in transition’. 


Instead of a law or index, this document provides a mere guide to complement the diverse efforts of organisations all over the world in attaining social responsibility.

ISO also likes to note that the ISO 26000 document only contains a voluntary guidance, not requirements, and should therefore not be used as a certification standard. (Like ISO 9001:2008 and ISO 14001:2004).

WHAT MAKES THIS STANDARD DIFFERENT FROM OTHERS?

Sustainability in business enterprises involves all the efforts and activities (both internal and external) that ensure an organisation operates in a socially responsible manner. With increasing pressure from all stakeholders, there is a need to develop standards as well as also benchmark on credible business practices at all times.

Since many experts across board all agree that CSR or SR or CR – all mean different things and vary from organisation to organisation; the ISO 26000 provides a rallying point for ALL kinds of organisations – especially both private and public enterprises as well as large corporations and small and medium-sized enterprises, public administrations and government agencies. The contents of this document, is simple and easy to understand – even for non-specialists or practitioners of CSR.
This standard complements the many other high-level declarations, conventions and individual CSR or SR initiatives that have been established, adopted or imbibed by organisations. Thus, the guide provides a plan to implement these lofty ideas.

What also stands ISO 26000 out is the amount of input and work from ISO’s far-reaching networks and national-member organisations. ‘ISO’s expertise is in developing harmonized international agreements based on double levels of consensus – among the principal categories of stakeholder, and among countries (ISO is a network of the national standards bodies of 163 countries)’.
Therefore, ISO can and should be trusted to ‘distil a globally relevant understanding of what social responsibility is and what organizations need to do to operate in a socially responsible way’.

WHAT DOES THIS STANDARD COVER?

The contents of ISO 26000 are summarised as follows: Scope, Terms and definitions of Social Responsibility, Understanding social responsibility, Principles of social responsibility, Recognizing social responsibility and engaging stakeholders, Guidance on social responsibility core subjects, Guidance on integrating social responsibility throughout an organization and examples of voluntary initiatives and tools for social responsibility.