Based on the latest systematic review 2020/21 there seems to have been some developments in the number of countries that have adopted ISO 26000. Some of the countries that report having adopted ISO 26000 or progressed the adoption are Vietnam, Congo, Iran, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, and Sudan. Voluntary adoption paves way for voluntary use in both public policy and individual companies and organizations.
Note: Adoptation of an ISO-standard normally means that the National Standards Body has consulted the relevant stakeholders who recommended adoption and translated the standard, then the NSB adopted the standard on behalf of the country as national voluntary standard making it available as all other national standards.
Two questions:
(1) What is known about the impacts of the standard in the countries that have adopted it and the organizations that use it? Just to adopt a standard nationally does not mean it is used widely.
(2) What are the main purposes in terms of use of this standard? For governance and CSR-management purposes? As a framework for external sustainability reporting? For both?
Thank you!
Hi Reinhard
1) As you know ISO manages 20,000 standards on behalf of the 160+ members/countries. Each country decided themselves if the standard is relevant to their market and how much they are to promote each standard. Due to mainly lack of resources the member bodies can not (nor can ISO) analyze how 20 000 standard are being used and thier impacts. There are what, 1000?, revised or new standards coming out each year from the ISO standardization efforts – on behalf of its members. Standardization, as well as use of standards, is basically a voluntary exercise to try to progress markets that are not progressed through for example legislation. ISO 26000 is one of the broadest SRstandards available, hence to account specific impacts (eg. gender performance improvements) to a specific one standard is not always very efficient. Standards are one of many tools in use to improve performance.
2) Have you read the standard? The overall is to maximize the contribution from an organisation, not only companies, to sustainable development. SR, not CSR. ISO 26000 speaks of communication, not reporting, as there are other international standard (especially GRI) more suitable for that focused purpose. ISO 26000 is a multi-purpose tool. Any organization, in any sector, and part of the world, can improve their contribution to sustainable development using ISO 26000. Some use it to enhance governance, some for reporting, and some use it to find the definitions/principles/recommendations needed to fight child labor, etcetera.
Macau is not a country.
You are correct. Thanks. Macau was included as they responded to a survey. I will leave your comment here as a reminder and update when time permits.