ISO 26000 is the designation of the future International Standard giving guidance on social responsibility (SR). It is intended for use by organizations of all types, in both public and private sectors, in developed and developing countries. It will assist them in their efforts to operate in the socially responsible manner that society increasingly demands.
ISO 26000 contains guidance, not requirements, and therefore will not be for use as a certification standard like ISO 9001:2000 and ISO 14001:2004.
Sustainable business for organizations means not only providing products and services that satisfy the customer, and doing so without jeopardizing the environment, but also operating in a socially responsible manner. Pressure to do so comes from customers, consumers, governments, associations and the public at large. At the same time, far-sighted organizational leaders recognize that lasting success must be built on credible business practices and the prevention of activities such as fraudulent accounting and labour exploitation.
