ISO Guidance on Social Responsibility Guido Guertler, ICC Observer and NORMAPME Expert to ISO/TMB WG Social Responsibility ; Correct use of ISO September 2010

Guidance is an offer: ISO offers recommendations, advice, proposals, and orientation Guidance is an offer: ISO offers recommendations, advice, proposals, and orientation Guidance versus guideline: - “guidance” is something from which to select what can be successfully applied - “guideline” would be something one needs to apply as a whole Guidance versus guideline: - “guidance” is something from which to select what can be successfully applied - “guideline” would be something one needs to apply as a whole ISO deliberately is not a “guideline” ISO deliberately is not a “guideline” What is a “guidance”?

The ISO scope says: “This International Standard is not a management system standard. It is not intended or appropriate for certification purposes or regulatory or contractual use. Any offer to certify, or claims to be certified, to ISO would be a misrepresentation of the intent and purpose and a misuse of this International Standard. As this International Standard does not contain requirements, any such certification would not be a demonstration of conformity with this International Standard.”

ISO is a guidance document, without requirements one could fulfill or meet ISO is a guidance document, without requirements one could fulfill or meet One can follow a guidance but guidance cannot be “implemented” One can follow a guidance but guidance cannot be “implemented” ISO is a “standard” only formally because it is published by a standards organization ISO is a “standard” only formally because it is published by a standards organization Its content is guidance that may be used by organizations, individually Its content is guidance that may be used by organizations, individually The Guidance is nothing “standardized” (so that / as if / it would apply everywhere in the same way) The Guidance is nothing “standardized” (so that / as if / it would apply everywhere in the same way) What is ISO 26000?

An organization’s correct use internally 1/2 My organization 1. Evaluates the offered guidance 2. Selects, checks and prioritizes issues, using The Check Tool* 3. Follows the guidance contained in selected issues 4. Communicates with and encourages others * Downloadable from estimation.com/html/check_tool_iso_26000_download.html#CheckToolhttp:// estimation.com/html/check_tool_iso_26000_download.html#CheckTool

The Check Tool is designed to support the selection and prioritization process by identifying those issues where an organization can most effectively contribute to a more favorable development of society. The six questions per issue are: An organization’s correct use internally 2/2 Is the core subject and its issues judged relevant for my organization? What leverage does my organization have on this issue? What kind of activities can my organization undertake on this issue? Have I ensured that planned activities are not in conflict with applicable law? What impact will my activities have? Which stakeholders could I involve in this issue? Selected are those issues where all six questions got positive answers; for these the ISO guidance can be usefully applied

Correct use externally 1/2 My organization uses ISO Business partners For Encouragement: YES In contracts: NO* For certification: NO* * Using ISO in contracts or for certification would be a misuse

Correct use externally 2/2 My organization uses ISO Customers may use ISO Governments may use ISO In procurement and contracts*: NO For Encouragement: YES For Encouragement: YES In contracts: NO For certification: NO For certification: NO * According to the scope of ISO it would be a misuse making its application a condition in contracts (which includes public-private ones)

Communication 1/2 Task Group 2 of this ISO project (“Communication”) recommended to communicate about the use of ISO (see their Newsletter of 12 December 2009 at _SR_Newsletter_12_-_ __2_.pdf) or FAQ #9 on the ISO website at 6/07_gen_info/faq.html): _SR_Newsletter_12_-_ __2_.pdf 6/07_gen_info/faq.html Communicating about ISO FAQ: How can my organization refer to its use of ISO 26000? ISO is a voluntary International Standard providing guidance on social responsibility. Organizations of all types are encouraged to acknowledge their support and use of ISO as follows: ” Organization” recognizes ISO as a reference document that provides guidance on social responsibility. and /or “Organization” has used ISO as a guide to integrate social responsibility into our values and practices.

Communication 2/2 A more practical master text for this communication (that may be individually adapted) is available at estimation.com/html/user_guide_iso_26000.html#att6 : estimation.com/html/user_guide_iso_26000.html#att6 We hereby state that our organization is well acquainted with ISO 26000, its kind and content, and how it may be used to prioritize and to work with social responsibility. We recognize ISO as a reference document that provides guidance on social responsibility. We have used it as a guide to integrate social responsibility into our values and practices. More details are given on and/or in. For any further information please contact the undersigned. Date and place…..Signature(s)….. Name and Address

Encouragement Feel encouraged to practice a correct use of ISO Feel great when encouraging others to follow your good example Feel encouraged to notify* good and bad examples of using ISO 26000, for publication on * By mail to