Top 10 ISO sustainability standards

ISO norms are international standards that help companies adopt best management practices .

They cover various fields, including sustainability, the focus of this article. 

Most ISO standards can be certified by independent third-party bodies, but some share only a framework to follow.

These standards are very popular with companies. If we look at the very popular ISO 14 001 environmental standard, by 2023 in France, 3176 companies and organizations will have obtained certification from AFNOR (Association française de normalisation), and internationally, more than 420,000 companies and organizations by 2021.

Just a few figures to illustrate the scale and influence of these standards!

In this article, we've asked our expert to select the top 10 ISO sustainability standards for you.

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What is an ISO standard?

An ISO standard is a set of guidelines drawn up by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), one of the world's leading standards bodies.

Simply put, ISO standards define a number of rules and best practices to indicate the best way of doing things! From road safety to CSR management, ISO standards represent a guarantee of confidence and quality in many fields.

ISO standards are based on the knowledge of experts in their field, who understand the needs of organizations. These experts work together to determine best practice and ensure quality, safety and efficiency in different sectors.

A standard is one tool among others for building a robust management system.

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The benefits of ISO standards for companies

As you can see, ISO standards provide a structured, internationally recognized framework to help companies improve performance, guarantee quality and remain competitive.

Here are just a few of the benefits for companies adopting ISO standards:

• Quality guarantee: They ensure high levels of quality and performance in products and services.
• Risk reduction: ISO standards help to identify and manage environmental, social and safety risks.
• Legal compliance: They help companies to anticipate and comply with laws and regulations more easily.
• Reassuring stakeholders: They strengthen the trust of customers, partners and investors by demonstrating a commitment to reliable, sustainable practices.

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Top 10 ISO sustainability standards

ISO sustainability standards represent a set of international guidelines designed to encourage companies to adopt environmentally, socially and economically responsible practices.

They are essential to promoting sustainable resource management, reducing environmental impact and strengthening our commitment to society and stakeholders. 

Thanks to a structured framework, these standards enable organizations to effectively integrate sustainability into their strategies and to improve risk management, i.e., they have to be renewed every three years.

We asked our experts to select the top 10 ISO sustainability standards.

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ISO 14001 - Environmental Management System

One of the key sustainability standards is ISO 14001. 

This international standard helps you define your environmental management system (EMS)!

An EMS is a set of processes and practices that companies put in place to reduce their negative impact on the environment. Building a good EMS helps companies manage and improve their environmental performance.

A good EMS must include : 

• An environmental analysis to assess the company's activities,‍
• An environmental policy committed to continuous improvement, ‍
• An organizational structure to develop, implement, review and maintain the company's environmental policy.

Of course, all the while complying with the legal and regulatory framework that applies to the company.

For information, the ISO 14 001 standard is certifying, and the environmental management system must be audited by an independent accredited body.

One of the key points of this standard, which will be found in some other sustainability standards, is that it uses the Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) approach as the main framework for structuring the environmental management system. 

What is Plan-Do-Check-Act :

• Plan: Identify opportunities to improve energy efficiency and set the right targets.
• Deploy (Do): Implement actions to achieve these objectives.
• Check: Monitor and check results to make sure everything is going according to plan.
• Act: Adjust and improve actions to continue optimizing energy efficiency.

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ISO 53001 - Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

ISO 53001 (under development) specifies the requirements for integrating the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs ) into organizations' management systems. This standard complements and updates ISO 26000, 13 years after its adoption.

It is useful for companies wishing to align their strategies and operations with the SDGs.

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ISO 26000 - Corporate Social Responsibility

ISO 26000 provides guidelines on social responsibility .

Unlike other standards, it does not lead to certification, but provides a framework for integrating the principles of social responsibility into a company's activities and decisions. 

It is particularly useful for organizations seeking to voluntarily and proactively improve their social impact.

The standard, drawn up by the International Organization for Standardization, sets out guidelines for CSR around 7 central themes:

• organizational governance,
• human rights,
• working relations and conditions,
• the environment,
• fair practices,
• consumer issues,
• communities and local development.

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ISO 30415 - Diversity and Inclusion

ISO 30415 offers recommendations and best practices to help organizations improve their diversity and inclusion. It is not a certification standard.

These guidelines call for the creation and maintenance of inclusive work environments where every individual is respected and valued, regardless of differences in age, gender, ethnic origin, physical ability or sexual orientation.

Key points of ISO 30415 :

• Promoting diversity through a diversity and inclusion policy, training sessions, recruitment practices that encourage diversity, etc.
• Promoting inclusion by ensuring that every member of the organization feels included and respected, with equal opportunities for development and progression.
• Policies and practices: provide a framework for developing inclusive policies and practices, from recruitment and training to talent management and organizational culture.
• Stakeholder engagement: involve not only employees, but also partners, suppliers and customers, to create an inclusive and respectful collaborative environment.

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ISO/IEC 27 001 - Information security

ISO/IEC 27 001 is an international standard specifying the requirements for establishing, implementing, maintaining and improving an information security management system (ISMS). It helps organizations to protect their sensitive data systematically and effectively.

This standard is certifying and may be requested by certain customers or partners.

Key points of ISO/IEC 27 001 :

• Information security management: identify, assess and manage information security risks.
• Define a clear security policy outlining information security objectives and guidelines.
• Implement specific controls to protect information, based on the results of the risk assessment. The standard proposes a list of 114 possible controls.
• Companies need to regularly monitor and review their ISMS to ensure that it is effective and continuously improving.

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ISO 14007 and ISO 14008 - Assessing environmental costs and benefits

The non-certifying ISO 14007 and ISO 14008 standards are complementary, helping companies to better understand the financial implications of their environmental impacts.

ISO 14007 provides guidelines for determining the costs and benefits associated with environmental impacts, and ISO 14008 complements this standard by proposing methods for converting environmental impacts into financial terms.

These standards enable companies to make more informed decisions and become more aware of the environmental cost of their activities.

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ISO 20400 - Responsible Purchasing

The ISO 20400 standard, also known as the "Responsible Purchasing Standard", is not a certification document. It provides a framework to encourage ethical and transparent business practices throughout the supply chain. 

It helps to structure and formalize sustainable development commitments and practices within the supply chain, while promoting transparency and social and environmental responsibility. The standard also helps companies to rethink their supply chains and engage in responsible partnerships.

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ISO 37001 - Anti-Corruption Management

ISO 37001 is the standard for anti-corruption management systems, helping organizations to prevent, detect and deal with acts of corruption. 

It defines specific requirements, such as the implementation of anti-corruption policies, staff training, risk management, control procedures and financial transparency.

Although ISO 37001 is not mandatory, it can be used by organizations as a frame of reference to demonstrate their commitment to fighting corruption.

This standard is particularly useful for companies seeking to improve their governance and minimize the risks associated with corruption.

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ISO 50001 - Energy Management System

ISO 50001 is a voluntary, non-certifying standard that provides a framework for deploying an effective energy management system (EMS ). 

This standard is of great interest to companies, as it enables them to identify sources for reducing energy costs, maximizing energy efficiency and, at the same time, reducing their carbon footprint.

The ISO 50001 standard, based on the ISO 14001 environmental standard, uses the PDCA (Plan-Do-Check-Act) approach to analyze energy use and consumption, identify the main energy uses and find opportunities for improvement. 

The ISO 50001 standard requires a strong commitment from management to support initiatives and encourage companies to aim for continuous improvement.

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ISO 45001 - Occupational health and safety

ISO 45001 is the standard for occupational health and safety (OHS) management systems. It provides a framework for identifying hazards and assessing and controlling occupational health and safety risks.

To obtain certification, a company must have its occupational health and safety (OHS) management system assessed by an accredited certification body.

Here are the steps to ISO 45001 certification: 

• Implement an ISO 45001-compliant occupational health and safety management system ,
• Conduct an internal audit to verify system compliance and efficiency,
• Certification audit: A certification body carries out a two-stage audit:

• Step 1: Literature review
• Step 2: On-site assessment

If the audit is successful, you'll be awarded certification!

Don't forget that the standard values the search for continuous improvement, so we advise you to carry out audits to maintain compliance, and every three years you can renew your certification with a new audit.

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Conclusion

ISO standards enable companies to base their management systems on best practices in the field. 

We advise you to follow them on all the sustainability issues that concern you! 

These international frameworks will enable you to anticipate regulations, improve your image with your stakeholders and score points for various certifications and assessments such as EcoVadis.