ISO 26000 Services

ISO 26000 is an international standard providing guidelines for social responsibility in business and other organizations. It aims to improve the conditions for workers, the natural environment and the health and welfare of society. Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is a vital part of business today. Organizations and stakeholders around the world are becoming increasingly aware of the need for and benefits of socially responsible behavior. By acting in a socially responsible way, a company gains recognition as a credible and equitable employer and business partner.

TÜV Rheinland can support you in understanding the purpose of ISO 26000 and how you can improve the sustainable development of your company. Our experts provide ISO 26000 training in social responsibility and translate the key principles of ISO 26000 into effective actions. Furthermore, we inform you of best practices relating to socially responsible behavior.

The ISO 26000 services from TÜV Rheinland enable you to:

• Contribute to sustainable development, including the health and welfare of society.
• Develop a consistent and thought-through social responsibility strategy tailored to your needs thanks to our professionally trained Certified Sustainability Assurance Practitioner (CSAP) and multi-disciplinary team.
• Ensure compliance with applicable laws and international norms of behavior.
• Gain verification of your social responsibility actions compliance.

Should you have questions or require any further information on our ISO 26000 services, our experts will be more than happy to assist you. Contact us now!

To understand, implement and improve the social responsibility of your organization, TÜV Rheinland supports you with guidance and training regarding the ISO 26000 standard.

Our services include:

• ISO 26000 training to better understand the corporate social responsibility guidelines.
• Gap assessment, evaluating social responsibility principles, fundamental practices and core subjects.
• Strategy development to attain conformance with ISO 26000 guidelines.
• Verification of compliance, in the form of a detailed report rather than a certificate, as the ISO 26000 standard is non-certifiable.

With the support of our experts, you can be sure that your organization is on the right path to a more sustainable development.

In 2010, the International Organization for Standardization launched the international standard ISO 26000 on social responsibility. This voluntary guidance standard includes guidelines on socially reponsible behavior and actions.

Compared to other standards, ISO 26000 does not contain requirements and is therefore not certifiable. It is meant for all organizations large and small including schools and hospitals, not only businesses and corporations.

The standard was developed over five years by a variety of stakeholders from across the world. This included representatives from government, industry, consumer groups, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and labor organizations.

ISO 26000 is one of the most comprehensive standards and has received global attention and acceptance. It is expected to set the norm for social responsibility in the future.

According to ISO 26000, the seven key principles of social responsibility are:

• Accountability
• Transparency
• Ethical behavior
• Respect for stakeholder interests
• Respect for the rule of law
• Respect for international norms of behavior
• Respect for human rights

Every organization needs to identify and consider certain issues which are relevant and significant for them. The ISO 26000 standards includes the following seven core subjects:

• Environment
• Consumer issues
• Fair Operating practices
• Labor practices
• Human rights
• Development of the community and society
• Organizational governance

Once an organization has determined its most important issues, an appropriate social responsibility strategy can be developed.