ISO to go ahead with guidelines for social responsibility

摘要

ISO is to develop an International Standard for social responsibility. The objective is to produce" a guidance document, written in plain language which is understandable and usable by non-specialists" and not intended for use in certification. The decision was taken at a senior ISO management meeting on 24-25 June 2004 in Stockholm, following an international conference in the Swedish capital earlier the same week on 21-22 June. The conference provided a platform for stakeholders to give their views on whether ISO should proceed with work addressing the social responsibility (SR) of organizations and, if so, what form it should take. Based on the consistent and supportive feedback from the conference, ISO concluded that a further feasibility study was unnecessary and that SR work should be "undertaken immediately". In taking its decision, ISO acknowledges "that social responsibility involves a number of subjects and issues that are qualitatively different from the subjects and issues that have traditionally been dealt with by ISO".