ISO 26000 Guidance on ISO 26000 Guidance on Social ResponsibilitySocial Responsibility

Development Status, June 2009Development Status, June 2009An Industry ViewAn Industry View

Success Criteria

David Felinski, Vice-President IFAN (International Federation of Standards Users) and IFAN Expert to ISO/TMB WG SR, and Guido Guertler, ICC Observer to ISO/TMB WG SR

Available Slide SeriesAvailable Slide Series

1. The Project2. ISO 26000 Contents and Players3. Applicability Aspects 4. ISO 26000 CD Vote by March 20095. Success Criteria6. Risk of Failure7. Tool: Check for Effectiveness

The present subset is the one marked in bold

OutlineOutline What exists around ISO 26000?What exists around ISO 26000? ISO 26000; success merely by existence?ISO 26000; success merely by existence? 1: Meeting NWIP and Design 1: Meeting NWIP and Design

Specification Specification 2: Applicability to 2: Applicability to ALLALL Organizations Organizations 3: Relevance of 3: Relevance of ALLALL Core Subjects Core Subjects 4: Volume of Document 4: Volume of Document 5: Easy to Understand5: Easy to Understand 6: Terms and Definitions6: Terms and Definitions 7: Equal Meaning of Language Versions7: Equal Meaning of Language Versions

What Exists Around ISO 26000? (1/3)What Exists Around ISO 26000? (1/3)…many other documents on Social

Responsibility …

Standards Laws

Regulations

Conventions

…at the different levels - binding and not binding ones…

national

Instruments

Codes

organizational regional international

multinational ?ISO 26000?

All the other documents, codes, All the other documents, codes, international instruments etc. international instruments etc. already exist ….already exist ….

What Exists Around ISO 26000? (2/3)What Exists Around ISO 26000? (2/3)

The scope says: “It is intended to complement other instruments and initiatives related to social responsibility, and not to replace them.“

ISO 26000, the ‘UBER’ Standard, Code,

Instrument…? ?

To To replacereplace others? others? ISO would ISO would not have the authoritynot have the authority!!

To To complementcomplement allall others: others: is a is a virtually impossiblevirtually impossible task… task…

What Exists Around ISO 26000? (3/3)What Exists Around ISO 26000? (3/3)

…a wise decision to draft a Guidance Standard, which users can select relevant

portions from, andthat are complementary

to their existing actions

! !

ISO 26000;ISO 26000; Success Merely By Existence Success Merely By Existence? (1/2)? (1/2)

Not at all!

… but as a relevant and useful Guidance Standard, it must also measure up to its criteria for success

Of Course, the ISO 26000 will: Intensify global discussion and awareness Be recognized for its extensive content

ISO 26000; ISO 26000; Success Merely By ExistenceSuccess Merely By Existence? (2/2)? (2/2)Critical factors: Volume

Meeting the Design

Specification Applicability to

ALL organizations

Relevance of ALL Core Subjects

Equal Meaning of Language Translations

Terms and Definitions

Easy to understand

ISO 2600

0

1: Meeting NWIP and Design Spec (1/8)1: Meeting NWIP and Design Spec (1/8)

• assists organizations in addressing their social responsibilities while respecting cultural, societal, environmental and legal differences and economic development conditions;

yes

Requirement* Fulfillment

*according to N049 Design Specification

• emphasizes performance results and improvement;

yes

1: Meeting NWIP and Design Spec (2/8)1: Meeting NWIP and Design Spec (2/8)Requirement* Fulfillment

*according to N049 Design Specification

• provides practical guidance related to - operationalizing social responsibility; - identifying and engaging with stakeholders; and - enhancing credibility of reports and claims

made about social responsibility;

yes

1: Meeting NWIP and Design Spec (3/8)1: Meeting NWIP and Design Spec (3/8)Requirement* Fulfillment

*according to N049 Design Specification

• increases confidence and satisfaction in organizations among their customers and other stakeholders; 

debatable

• is consistent with, and not in conflict with, existing documents, international treaties and conventions and existing ISO standards;

needs to be checked case-by-

case

1: Meeting NWIP and Design Spec (4/8)1: Meeting NWIP and Design Spec (4/8)Requirement* Fulfillment

*according to N049 Design Specification

• is not intended to reduce government's authority to address the social responsibility of organizations;

debatable

• promotes common terminology in the field of social responsibility

yes

• broadens awareness of social responsibility yes

1: Meeting NWIP and Design Spec (5/8)1: Meeting NWIP and Design Spec (5/8)Requirement* Fulfillment

*according to N049 Design Specification

• the standard should be applicable by all types of organizations (e.g. regardless of their size, location, the nature of their activities and products, and the culture, society and environment in which they carry out their activities.)

no

• limiting the proliferation of SR sector standards;

no

1: Meeting NWIP and Design Spec (6/8)1: Meeting NWIP and Design Spec (6/8)Requirement* Fulfillment

*according to N049 Design Specification

• facilitate trade liberalization and remove trade barriers (implement open and fair trade); and

dubious

• complement and avoid conflicts with other existing SR standards and requirements.

needs to be checked case-by-

case

1: Meeting NWIP and Design Spec (5/8)1: Meeting NWIP and Design Spec (5/8)Requirement* Fulfillment

*according to N049 Design Specification

• Easy to read, or, as quoted in the Design Specification N049, lines 63 and 64:„The language must be clear, understandable and objective throughout the guidance standard.“

no

1: Meeting NWIP and Design Spec (8/8)1: Meeting NWIP and Design Spec (8/8)

Summary in figures: 13 requirements in total

-- 5 are met 3 are debatable/dubiuos 2 need case-by-case

checks 3 seem not to be met

2: Applicability to ALL Organizations2: Applicability to ALL Organizations

• The IISD Study and the „Quick User Survey“ found that the applicability by all organizations will be limited and that SMOs especially will have problems

• Volume and Language in particular are seen as hindrancesA user survey conducted by ISO could help to increase the market relevance

3: Relevance of ALL Core Subjects3: Relevance of ALL Core Subjects

Interviewed organizations* denied that ALL core subjects would be relevant to them

The decision about relevance of a core subject should be left to the organization attempting to enhance its social responsibility

* having participated in the Quick User Survey

4: Volume of Document4: Volume of Document Interviewed organizations*

asserted that a volume of more than 100 pages is by far too large to be practicable, emphasized by SMOs in particular!

The content could be shortened to half the volume without losing substance

* having participated in the Quick User Survey

A shorter document would be more palatable and practical, as underscored by multiple comments from numerous and disparate sources since 2006

5: Easy to Understand5: Easy to Understand Interviewed organizations* found the

text:- not easy to understand- too much use of a pedagogic style- the extensive use of “should”**

conveys an implicit imperative rather than offering informed encouragement

* having participated in the Quick User Survey** even if so required by the Design Specification

A substantive re-write to address these deficiencies would be a beneficial value proposition, and can never be too late

6: Terms and Definitions (1/4)6: Terms and Definitions (1/4)

An ISO document should not use broadly interpreted and undefined terms like- welfare of society- expectations of society, or- International Norms of Behaviour

Nebulous terms need to be understandably* defined which is not the case for several (see next slides)

* understandable for possible users, not for experts

„„2.19 2.19 stakeholderstakeholder individual or group that has individual or group that has an an

interest interest in in anyany activities or decisions activities or decisions of an organization”of an organization”**

Deficiency:Deficiency:- “an interest” and- “an interest” and- “any” - “any” can be interpreted indefinitely can be interpreted indefinitely

6: Terms and Definitions (2/4)6: Terms and Definitions (2/4)

* Source: draft working version of 19 June 2009

„„2.10 2.10 international norms of behaviourinternational norms of behaviour expectationsexpectations of socially responsible organizational of socially responsible organizational

behaviour derived from behaviour derived from customarycustomary international international law, law, generallygenerally acceptedaccepted principles of international principles of international law, or intergovernmental agreements (such as law, or intergovernmental agreements (such as treaties and conventions) that are treaties and conventions) that are universallyuniversally or or nearly universally nearly universally recognized”recognized”**

Deficiencies exist by using Deficiencies exist by using undefined terms undefined terms in in this this definitiondefinition like expectations, customary, like expectations, customary, generally accepted, universally, nearly universallygenerally accepted, universally, nearly universally

6: Terms and Definitions (3/4)6: Terms and Definitions (3/4)

* Source: draft working version of 19 June 2009

6: Terms and Definitions (4/4)6: Terms and Definitions (4/4)

Easily understandable terms and definitions are key to the applicability of every standard

New?

Terms and definitions should be double-checked by possible USERS, particularly from the

SMO faction

Experts‘ consensus on definitions is all well and

good, but users decide about their acceptance.

7: Equal Meaning of Language Versions7: Equal Meaning of Language VersionsTranslation from English into the multiple languages used is a very significant and substantial problem!Key nouns and key verbs need to have the same meaning in all languages; like- stakeholder- social, societal- welfare of society- should, can, may, might

Without this “equal meaning” the ISO 26000 will create confusion rather

than globally enhance social responsibility

OutlookOutlook Unless the DIS (Draft International Unless the DIS (Draft International

Standard, anticipated in September 2009) Standard, anticipated in September 2009) meets these main success criteria…meets these main success criteria…

……the market success of ISO 26000 will not the market success of ISO 26000 will not be the one it deserves…be the one it deserves…

……particularly in view of the hundreds of particularly in view of the hundreds of millions of dollars and thousands of expert-millions of dollars and thousands of expert-hours already, and yet-to-be, investedhours already, and yet-to-be, invested