ISO 26000 is an international standard established by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) to provide guidelines on corporate social responsibility (CSR). Unlike other ISO standards, such as ISO 9001 or ISO 14001, ISO 26000 is not intended for certification. Instead, it serves as a guide for organizations to integrate the principles of social responsibility into their day-to-day practices. The standard is applicable to all types of organization, whether private, public or not-for-profit, regardless of size or geographical location. It aims to promote a common understanding of CSR and encourage best practice worldwide.
Principles of Corporate Social Responsibility according to ISO 26000
ISO 26000 is based on seven fundamental principles, each of which plays a crucial role in promoting a socially responsible organization.
- Liability to the company Organizations must take responsibility for their impact on society and the environment. This means assessing and managing the consequences of their decisions and activities, seeking to minimize negative effects and maximize benefits for society.
- Transparency Transparency: Organizations need to be transparent about their decisions and activities, communicating openly about their societal and environmental impacts. Transparency fosters trust and accountability, enabling stakeholders to make informed decisions.
- Ethical behavior Ethical behavior: Organizations must behave ethically, with integrity, loyalty and fairness. This includes adherence to high moral standards and a commitment to fighting corruption and unfair practices.
- Respecting stakeholders' interests Organizations need to identify and respect the interests of their stakeholders, such as employees, customers, suppliers and the local community. This means understanding and responding to the expectations and concerns of these groups.
- Respect for human rights Human rights: Organizations must respect and promote human rights, ensuring that their activities do not violate them and, preferably, that they reinforce them. This includes respecting the rights of workers, local communities and other groups affected by the organization's activities.
- Compliance with international standards of behavior International standards of behavior: Organizations must adhere to international standards of behavior, including international conventions and agreements, even if these standards are stricter than local laws. This demonstrates a commitment to responsible global practices.
- Compliance with laws and regulations Compliance: Organizations must comply with the laws and regulations in force in the countries in which they operate. This includes not only legal compliance, but also exceeding legal requirements where necessary to meet corporate social responsibility principles.
ISO 26000 fields of action
ISO 26000 identifies seven main fields of action, each covering essential aspects of corporate social responsibility.
- Organizational governance Effective and transparent governance is essential to ensure that the organization acts responsibly. This includes management practices that promote integrity, transparency and accountability. Good governance ensures that decisions are taken in the best interests of all stakeholders.
- Human rights The commitment to respect human rights in all the organization's operations and relationships is fundamental. This includes preventing all forms of discrimination, harassment and exploitation, and promoting equal opportunities and fair treatment.
- Relationships and working conditions The promotion of fair and safe labor relations, and respect for dignified working conditions, are crucial. This includes practices such as collective bargaining, occupational health and safety, and employee skills development.
- Environment Minimizing environmental impacts and promoting sustainable practices are essential to effective corporate social responsibility. This includes managing natural resources, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and adopting clean, energy-efficient technologies.
- Good operating practices Fair business practices, such as fighting corruption and promoting fair competition, are essential. This includes ethical relations with suppliers, customers and other business partners.
- Consumer issues Respect for consumer rights, including product safety and transparency of information, is fundamental. Organizations must ensure that their products and services are safe, reliable and meet consumer expectations.
- Community and local development Contributing to the economic and social development of local communities is a key aspect of CSR. Organizations must engage with local communities, identify their needs and contribute positively to their development.
Implementing ISO 26000
Integrating ISO 26000 into an organization involves several key stages, each essential to ensuring effective and sustainable implementation of the principles of social responsibility.
- Initial assessment Identifying the organization's current impact on society and the environment is the first step. This involves carrying out a comprehensive assessment to understand where the organization can improve its practices.
- Management commitment Ensuring a strong commitment from top management is crucial to embedding CSR principles. Top management must lead by example, publicly committing to responsible practices and providing the necessary resources to support these initiatives.
- Awareness and Training Training and raising awareness of ISO 26000 principles among employees and stakeholders is essential. This includes training programs, workshops and communication campaigns to ensure a common understanding of CSR objectives.
- Strategic Planning Developing a strategic plan to integrate ISO 26000 guidelines into the organization's activities is a key step. This plan must define clear objectives, specific actions and performance indicators to measure progress.
- Implementation and follow-up Implementing planned actions and monitoring their effectiveness is crucial to the success of a CSR initiative. This includes setting up monitoring and evaluation systems to measure results and identify areas requiring adjustment.
- Communication Communicating transparently on CSR actions and results is key to gaining the trust of stakeholders. Organizations need to publish regular and engaging reports on their performance and progress.
- Continuous Improvement Reviewing practices and performance on a regular basis to continuously improve the organization's corporate social responsibility is an essential practice. This includes analyzing feedback, adjusting strategies and implementing new initiatives to meet emerging challenges.
Why get support?
Support in implementing ISO 26000 offers several advantages:
- Technical Expertise Specialized consultants have in-depth knowledge of ISO 26000 requirements and CSR best practices.
- Personalization : Coaching enables ISO 26000 guidelines to be adapted to the specific needs and particular contexts of each organization.
- Time and efficiency savings With professional guidance, companies can avoid common mistakes and optimize their time by following a structured plan.
- Stakeholder commitments Experts can help to raise awareness and involve the various stakeholders, encouraging wider and deeper adoption of CSR principles.
- Monitoring and Continuous Improvement Our consultants provide tools and methods to measure progress and continuously improve CSR practices.
Key steps to get support
Support for ISO 26000 can take place in several structured stages:
- Initial assessment The first step is to carry out an initial assessment of the organization's current CSR practices. This assessment identifies strengths and weaknesses, as well as opportunities for improvement.
- Diagnosis A complete diagnosis of current practices, including interviews with stakeholders and an analysis of internal processes.
- Evaluation Report A detailed report presenting the results of the diagnosis and initial recommendations.
- Awareness and Training : It's crucial to train employees and managers in the principles of ISO 26000.
- Training Sessions Training sessions on key CSR concepts and ISO 26000 requirements.
- Awareness workshops Interactive workshops to engage stakeholders and raise their awareness of the challenges of corporate social responsibility.
- Strategic Planning ISO 26000: Develop a strategic plan to integrate ISO 26000 guidelines.
- Definition of Objectives Define clear, measurable CSR objectives.
- Drawing up the Plan Design a detailed action plan, including necessary resources, responsibilities and deadlines.
- Implementation Implement the actions set out in the strategic plan.
- Practice Implementation Adopt and integrate new CSR practices into day-to-day operations.
- Monitoring and measurement Set up performance indicators to monitor progress and measure results.
- Assessment and Continuous Improvement CSR: Regularly assess CSR performance and make continuous improvements.
- Internal Audits CSR: Carry out internal audits to verify the compliance and effectiveness of CSR practices.
- Feedback Analyze feedback and adjust strategies and actions accordingly.
