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Sustainability standards from ISO

There are many organisations in the world that develop standards to be used by organisations that want to contribute more to sustainable development. Many of these are listed in Annex A of ISO 26000.

ISO has a part if its website devoted to the UN Sustainable Development Goals and ISO has many times stated that one of the main drivers behind developing standards is to contribute to sustainable development.

Such a statement should be based on two things:

1) that all ISO-standards address their potential contribution to sustainable development
ISO has taken steps to help standardizers address sustainability when developing any new, or revising any existing, ISO-standard: ISO Guide 82 Guidelines for addressing sustainability in Standards. In time, provided that Guide 82 is applied by the standardizers (experts/stakeholders), all of the more than 22 000 standards ISO have published will have addressed their unique contribution to sustainable development. This can have a major positive impact considering the millions of companies/organisations that use ISO standards in both developing and developed countries.

2) that specific ISO-standards are developed for specific sustainability needs
Indeed, there are already some ISO-standards that can be seen as specific “sustainability standards” as they have the word sustainability in their title/scope and/or address sustainability related issues such as responsibility, environment, social, governance, safety, health. Some of these ISO-standards are listed in the table below. More information about these standards is available at the ISO website related to the scope or the status, or locally at the National Standards Bodies. The table was developed in 2016 and in 2018 ISO published a longer list of close to 600 standards related to the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

ISO Standards, examplesDeveloped using ISO Guide 82 Yes/NoDelivers on SDG
ISO/Guide 82:2014 Guidelines for addressing sustainability in standardsAlmost all
ISO 26000 Guidance on Social ResponsibilityN (published before Guide 82)Almost all
ISO 20400 Sustainable Procurement -- GuidanceYAlmost all
ISO 20121 Event sustainability management systems -- Requirements with guidance for useN (published before Guide 82)Almost all
ISO 26000 Guidance on Social Responsibility1. No poverty
ISO 37120 Sustainable development of communities — Indicators for city services and quality of life?1. No poverty
ISO 26000 Guidance on Social Responsibility2. Zero Hunger
ISO 22000 Food safety management?2. Zero Hunger
ISO 4002 Equipment for sowing and planting?2. Zero Hunger
ISO 4197 Equipment for working the soil?2. Zero Hunger
ISO 6880 Machinery for agriculture?2. Zero Hunger
ISO 20635 Infant formula and adult nutritionals?2. Zero Hunger
ISO 1871 Food and feed products?2. Zero Hunger
ISO 26000 Guidance on Social Responsibility3. Good health and well-being
ISO 11137 Sterilization of health care products?3. Good health and well-being
ISO 8828 Implants for surgery?3. Good health and well-being
ISO 18615 Traditional Chinese medicine?3. Good health and well-being
ISO/IEEE 11073 Health informatics -- Point-of-care medical device communication?3. Good health and well-being
TS 13131 Telehealth services?3. Good health and well-being
IWA integrated health and care services for aged societies?3. Good health and well-being
ISO 26000 Guidance on Social Responsibility4. Quality education
ISO 26000 Guidance on Social Responsibility5. Gender equality
ISO 18091:2014 Quality management systems - Guidelines for the application of ISO 9001:2008 in local government?5. Gender equality
ISO 11228-2:2007 Ergonomics - Manual handling, Part 2: Pushing and pulling?5. Gender equality
ISO 26000 Guidance on Social Responsibility6. Clean water and sanitation
ISO 14046 Water footprint?6. Clean water and sanitation
ISO 15839 Water quality?6. Clean water and sanitation
ISO 24516-1 Drinking water distribution networks?6. Clean water and sanitation
ISO 24518 Crisis management of water utilities?6. Clean water and sanitation
ISO 24526 Water Efficiency Management Systems?6. Clean water and sanitation
TMB/NP Sustainable non-sewered sanitation systems?6. Clean water and sanitation
ISO 26000 Guidance on Social Responsibility7. Affordable and clean energy
ISO 50001 Energy Management?7. Affordable and clean energy
ISO 9553 Solar energy?7. Affordable and clean energy
TR 10217 Solar energy -- Water heating systems?7. Affordable and clean energy
ISO 13065 Sustainability criteria for bioenergy?7. Affordable and clean energy
ISO 17743 Energy savings?7. Affordable and clean energy
ISO 20619 Calculation methods for energy savings?7. Affordable and clean energy
ISO 13065 (FDIS) Sustainability criteria for bioenergy?7. Affordable and clean energy
Clean cookstoves and cooking solutions?7. Affordable and clean energy
ISO 26000 Guidance on Social Responsibility8. Decent work and economic growth
ISO 45001 Health and Safety?8. Decent work and economic growth
ISO 37001 Anti-bribery management systemsY?8. Decent work and economic growth 10. Reduced inequalities
ISO 26000 Guidance on Social Responsibility9. Innovation and infrastructure
TR 37150 Smart community infrastructures -- Review of existing activities relevant to metrics?9. Innovation and infrastructure
ISO 37154 Smart community infrastructures -- Best practice guidelines for transportation?9. Innovation and infrastructure
ISO 21542 Building construction -- Accessibility and usability of the built environment?9. Innovation and infrastructure
ISO 50501 Innovation management system?9. Innovation and infrastructure
ISO 26000 Guidance on Social Responsibility10. Reduced inequalities
ISO 26000 Guidance on Social Responsibility11. Sustainable cities and communities
ISO 37101 Sustainable development of communities - Management systems?11. Sustainable cities and communities
IWA 9 Framework for managing sustainable development in business districts?11. Sustainable cities and communities
ISO 28000 Security management11. Sustainable cities and communities
ISO 37104 Guide to establishing strategies for smart cities and communities?11. Sustainable cities and communities
ISO 37120 Sustainable development of communities -- Indicators for city services and quality of life?11. Sustainable cities and communities
ISO 10711 Intelligent Transport Systems?11. Sustainable cities and communities
ISO 12720 Sustainability in buildings and civil engineering works?11. Sustainable cities and communities
ISO 26000 Guidance on Social Responsibility12. Responsible consumption and production
ISO 26000 Guidance on Social Responsibility13. Climate Action
ISO 14001 Environmental management systems?13. Climate Action
ISO 14044 Life cycle assessment?13. Climate Action
ISO 14064 Greenhouse gases?13. Climate Action
TS 14067 Carbon footprint of products?13. Climate Action
ISO 14080 Framework and principles for methodologies on climate actions?13. Climate Action
ISO 10987 Earth moving machinery – sustainability?13. Climate Action
ISO 26000 Guidance on Social Responsibility14. Life below water
ISO 30000 Ship recycling?14. Life below water
ISO 29400 Ships and marine technology -- Offshore wind energy?14. Life below water
ISO 21070 Marine environment protection?14. Life below water
ISO 35101 Petroleum and natural gas industries -- Arctic operations?14. Life below water
ISO 12878 Environmental monitoring of the impacts from marine finfish farms?14. Life below water
ISO 19900 General requirements for offshore structures?14. Life below water
ISO 26000 Guidance on Social Responsibility15. Life on land
ISO 14055 Combating land degradation and desertification?15. Life on land
ISO 38200 Chain of custody of wood and wood-based products?15. Life on land
ISO 23611 Soil quality -- Sampling of soil invertebrates?15. Life on land
ISO 15952 Effects of pollutants on juvenile land snails?15. Life on land
ISO 22030 Soil quality -- Biological methods?15. Life on land
ISO 11850 Machinery for forestry -- General safety requirements?15. Life on land
ISO 26000 Guidance on Social Responsibility16. Peace and justice
ISO 19600 Compliance management systems?16. Peace and justice
Not applicable as this SDG addresses signatory states(government agencies, institutions, public policy), not organizations (as ISO standards do)?17. Partnerships