ISO 26000 (6) the Risk of Failure 2009-06n

8/14/2019 ISO 26000 (6) the Risk of Failure 2009-06n

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ISO 26000 Guidance onISO 26000 Guidance on

Social ResponsibilitySocial Responsibility

Development Status, June 2009Development Status, June 2009

An Indus try V iewn Indus try V iewRi sk o f F ai lure

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


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Available Slide SeriesAvailable Slide Series

The Project ISO 26000 Contents and Players

Applicability Aspects ISO 26000 CD Vote by March 2009 Success Criteria Ri sk of Fa il ur e Tool: Check of Effectiveness

The pre sen t subs et is the on e marked in bold


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Outline (1/2)Outline (1/2)

PrefacePreface

Two Key StatementsTwo Key Statements Missing its Key MarketMissing its Key Market

Volume of DocumentVolume of Document

ISO 26000 will contribute to a more intensive worldwidediscussion of social responsibility and in that context, beconsidered a success.But it may not be the success an ISO STANDARD deserves.Therefore, these slides highlight several risks at a time whenactions still could be taken to minimize them.


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Outline (2/2)Outline (2/2)

Relevance ofRelevance ofALLALL Core SubjectsCore Subjects

Governments ResponsibilityGovernments Responsibility

Governments may misuse ISO 26000Governments may misuse ISO 26000

Certifiers may misuse ISO 26000Certifiers may misuse ISO 26000

Business may misuse ISO 26000Business may misuse ISO 26000


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PrefacePreface

Risks can be viewed differentlyRisks can be viewed differently

These slides describe major risks as seenThese slides describe major risks as seen

by the authors; there may be moreby the authors; there may be more

To highlight them is intended to causeTo highlight them is intended to cause

actions toward preventing theiractions toward preventing their

occurrence.occurrence.

A co ncret e pr oposa l is ma de at theend


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Two Key StatementsTwo Key Statements

n Thehe greatest positivegreatest positiveeffect of ISO 26000 iseffect of ISO 26000 is thehepromoti on of t heromoti on of t hegloba l de bateloba l de bate ononmatters of socialmatters of socialresponsibilityresponsibility

Ind ust ry is i n fa vor of an ISOguidance standard on social responsibilitybu t it must be good enoug h forindustry, which will become the main user

group


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Who will be the Main Users?Who will be the Main Users?

micro

small

mediumlarge

up to 10

up to 50

up to 250

more than250

employees

Industry and Services= Business, 96%

In industries, 98% are micro,small or medium organizations

36%60%


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Missing its Key Market (1/2)Missing its Key Market (1/2)

ISO/TMB WG SRISO/TMB WG SRdid not perform a user surveydid not perform a user survey

in order to get the primary user input into thein order to get the primary user input into the

draft guidance standarddraft guidance standard

AnAn IISD StudyIISD StudyHow material is ISO 26000 toHow material is ISO 26000 toSMEs?SMEs?of September 2008 is available atof September 2008 is available at

http://www.iisd.org/pdf/2008/how_material_iso_http://www.iisd.org/pdf/2008/how_material_iso_

A A Quick User SurveyQuick User Survey is available at is available at

http://www.26k-estimation.com/html/quick_userhttp://www.26k-estimation.com/html/quick_user
http://www.iisd.org/pdf/2008/how_material_iso_26000.pdfhttp://www.iisd.org/pdf/2008/how_material_iso_26000.pdfhttp://www.26k-estimation.com/html/quick_user_survey.htmlhttp://www.26k-estimation.com/html/quick_user_survey.htmlhttp://www.26k-estimation.com/html/quick_user_survey.htmlhttp://www.iisd.org/pdf/2008/how_material_iso_26000.pdf


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Missing its Key Market (2/2)Missing its Key Market (2/2)

Both theBoth the IISD StudyISD Study and theand the Quic kuic kUser Surveyser Survey show limits to theshow limits to theapplicability and usefulness of ISO 26000applicability and usefulness of ISO 26000

to small and medium organizationsto small and medium organizations The ISO 26000 draft does not seem toThe ISO 26000 draft does not seem to

reflect thisreflect this feedback from realityeedback from realityISO 26000 may risk failing because

direct views of possible users

have not been taken into account


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Volume of DocumentVolume of Document

Micro and small organizations, in general, will notMicro and small organizations, in general, will notstudy 100+ pages in order to check for useful andstudy 100+ pages in order to check for useful and

applicable itemsapplicable items

and in particular, not in the least if they dontand in particular, not in the least if they dont

conduct any trans-border activitiesconduct any trans-border activities and all the more, not so if their activities haveand all the more, not so if their activities have

no interaction with developing countriesno interaction with developing countriesThe 100+ pages have been repeatedly criticized since 12/2006

ISO 26000 may risk failing becausethe document is too voluminous for

most of its potential users


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Relevance of ALL Core SubjectsRelevance of ALL Core Subjects

to ALL Organizations (1/3)to ALL Organizations (1/3)While the SCOPE of ISO 26000 states:While the SCOPE of ISO 26000 states:

This International Standard providesThis International Standard provides

guidance toguidance to all types of organizationsall types of organizations,,regardless of their size or location, on:regardless of their size or location, on:

.and while the logic of ISO 26000 is that.and while the logic of ISO 26000 is thatALLLL core subjects are relevant tocore subjects are relevant toALLLL organizations organizations


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to ALL Organizations (2/3)to ALL Organizations (2/3)this is flatly refuted, particularly by SMOsthis is flatly refuted, particularly by SMOs

SomeSome examplesexamples of non-relevance:of non-relevance:

Micro organizations vs. CommunityMicro organizations vs. Community

InvolvementInvolvement

Locally operating SMO vs. Fair OperatingLocally operating SMO vs. Fair Operating

PracticesPractices


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to ALL Organizations (3/3)to ALL Organizations (3/3) Capital goods manufacturers vs.Capital goods manufacturers vs.

Consumer IssuesConsumer Issues

SMO in highly regulated countries vs.SMO in highly regulated countries vs.Human Rights and Labour PracticesHuman Rights and Labour Practices

and many moreand many more

ISO 26000 may risk failing becauseALL core subjects being relevant to

ALL organizations is not realistic


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Governments Responsibility (1/4)Governments Responsibility (1/4)

Prot ec ti on of i tsrot ec ti on of i tscitizensitizens is the coreis the coreobligation of govern-obligation of govern-ment (life, health,ment (life, health,

property, )property, )

Industries can neither take this obligation,nor substitute government action


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It is governmentsIt is governments

social responsibilitysocial responsibility

to set the l ega lo set the l ega lfr amew orkr amew ork underunderwhich privatewhich private

society relatedsociety relatedactions can developactions can develop


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Firstirst governmentsgovernmentsneed to care for theirneed to care for their

constitution, laws andconstitution, laws and

regulations, and theregulations, and the

enforcement of sameenforcement of same

Thenhen industriesindustries cancanact effectively andact effectively and

sustainablysustainably



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But ISO 26000 creates anBut ISO 26000 creates an

expectation as if theexpectation as if the

private sector couldprivate sector could

improve social deficits byimprove social deficits byitself,itself, wit ho utit ho ut pre cedingre cedingand acc ompany ingnd acc ompany inggov ernme nt act ionov ernme nt act ion

ISO 26000 may risk failing becausethis expectation on the private

sector is not realistic


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Governments may MisuseGovernments may Misuse

ISO 26000ISO 26000The DIS will express:The DIS will express: "This International Standard is not a"This International Standard is not a

management system standard. It is not intended ormanagement system standard. It is not intended or

appropriate for certification purposes orappropriate for certification purposes orr egu l a t o r yegu l a t o r y ororcontractualcontractualu sese . Any offers to certify, or claims to be. Any offers to certify, or claims to becertified, to ISO 26000 would be a misrepresentation of thecertified, to ISO 26000 would be a misrepresentation of the

intent and purpose of the International Standard."intent and purpose of the International Standard."

ISO 26000 may risk failing becausegovernment may mistakenly use itfor procurement purposes


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Certifiers may Misuse ISO 26000Certifiers may Misuse ISO 26000

The DIS will express:The DIS will express: "This International Standard is"This International Standard isnot anot a

management system standardmanagement system standard. It is. It isno t in t en ded o ro t in t en ded o rap p ro p r i at e f o r ce rt i f icat io n pu rp ose sp p ro p r i at e f o r ce rt i f icat io n pu rp ose s or regulatoryor regulatoryor contractual use.or contractual use. Any offers to certify, or claims to beAny offers to certify, or claims to becertified, to ISO 26000 would be a misrepresentation of thecertified, to ISO 26000 would be a misrepresentation of the


ISO 26000 may risk failing becausecertifiers may ignore thisunambiguous purpose description


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Industry may Misuse ISO 26000Industry may Misuse ISO 26000

The DIS will express:The DIS will express: "This International Standard is not a"This International Standard is not a

management system standard. It ismanagement system standard. It isn o to t intended orintended orappropriateappropriatef o ro r certification purposes or regulatory orcertification purposes or regulatory orco n t ra ctu al u seo n t ra ctu al u se . Any offers to certify, or claims to be. Any offers to certify, or claims to becertified, to ISO 26000 would be a misrepresentation of thecertified, to ISO 26000 would be a misrepresentation of the


ISO 26000 may risk failing becausesome business organizations maymistakenly use it in contracts


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Request of ISOs Action (1/3)Request of ISOs Action (1/3)

ISO 26000 is aISO 26000 is a GUIDANCEGUIDANCESTANDARDSTANDARD, offering guidance,, offering guidance,

advice and recommendationsadvice and recommendations

This t ype of Docume nt is new , andnotas commonly known as other ISO products

That gives ISO the chance to address theeducation of users and jus ti fi es after-pu bl ica ti on a cti ons organized by ISO


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Ra tio nal ea tio nal e :: ISO 26000 is aISO 26000 is a

relatively new typerelatively new type ofofdeliverabledeliverable

TheThe lesse ss it isit is unde r-nde r-stoodtood , the, the great erreat er the potential forthe potential for(mostly) unintended(mostly) unintendedmisuseisuse



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The fi rs t cas eshe fi rs t cas es ofofmisuse have alreadymisuse have alreadytakenaken placelace withoutithoutthe documenthe document evenevenbeingbeing publi shedubli shed ,, seeseehttp://www.26k-estimation.com/http://www.26k-estimation.com/

Mor e cases toor e cases tocomeome

http://www.26000estimation.com/html/misuse_of_iso_26000.htmlhttp://www.26000estimation.com/html/misuse_of_iso_26000.htmlhttp://www.26000estimation.com/html/misuse_of_iso_26000.html


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How to Manage the Risks? (1/5)How to Manage the Risks? (1/5)

Building on the good work of WG SR TaskBuilding on the good work of WG SR Task

Group 2 on Communications, which mayGroup 2 on Communications, which may

be disbanded after the ISO 26000be disbanded after the ISO 26000

publication, ISO should set up a permanentpublication, ISO should set up a permanentunit calledunit calledISO 260 00 Us er Pl at fo rm ISO 260 00 Us er Pl at fo rm

ISO normally does not care about the use of its standards,ISO normally does not care about the use of its standards,

but here it is recommended in view of thebut here it is recommended in view of the valu e of thealu e of theISO 2600 0 co nte ntSO 2600 0 co nte nt and itsand its globallo bal attentionttention ..


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TheThe ISO 260 00 U ser Pla tfo rmSO 260 00 U ser Pla tfo rm wouldwouldaddress:address:

2.2. Taking measures to prevent the risks*Taking measures to prevent the risks*3.3. Clarifying any doubts or interpretationsClarifying any doubts or interpretations

4.4. Giving advice on concrete cases of useGiving advice on concrete cases of use

5.5. Helping avoid cases of misuseHelping avoid cases of misuse6.6. Running a website pool of experiencesRunning a website pool of experiences

* More details on the next slides


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ISO 26000 may risk failing

because

Proposed way

forward

1 direct views of possible

users have not been taken

into account

Perform a user

survey under the

auspices of ISO2 the document is too

voluminous for the large

majority of its potential

users

Redraft the

document down to

some 40 pages max.

or write an ISO26000 User Guide3 because ALL core

subjects being relevant to

ALL organizations is not

realistic

Modify this claim by

leaving the decision

of relevance to the

organizations


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because

Proposed way

forward

4 this expectation of

private sector action withoutpreceding and

accompanying government

action is not realistic

Include guidance on

governments socialresponsibility more

explicitly into the

ISO 26000

5 because government may

mistakenly use it for

procurement purposes

Awareness and

education; explain

examples on the

dedicated ISO

website


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because

Proposed way

forward

6 because certifiers may

ignore this unambiguous

description of purpose

Awareness and

education; explain

examples on the

dedicated ISO

website7 because some industry

organizations may

mistakenly use it in

contracts

Awareness and

education; explain

examples on the

dedicated ISO

website


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In the endIn the end

it is all in ISOs handsit is all in ISOs hands

..unless users feel the need to develop..unless users feel the need to develop

their ISO 26000 User Guide(s),their ISO 26000 User Guide(s),

But that is not a preferred option.But that is not a preferred option.

Thank You for yo ur Co nside rat io n!hank You for yo ur Co nside rat io n!

ISO 26000 (6) the Risk of Failure 2009-06n

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