CSR Europe London, 21. September 2012, at Ricoh Europe; by Guido Gürtler ISO 26000 Workshop Using ISO 26000 in a structured way

CSR Europe London, 21. September 2012, at Ricoh Europe;

by Guido Gürtler

ISO 26000 Workshop

Using ISO 26000 in a structured way

ISO 26000 Workshop

CSR Europe, ISO 26000 Workshop 21. September 2012, Ricoh Europe, London

Contents

- What is social responsibility (SR)?- ISO 26000 characteristics- Many other CSR approaches- Using ISO 26000 - 26k-user-guide and 26k-issue-tool- 26k-select software

ISO 26000 Workshop


What is “social responsibility”?- A (co-)responsibility for society…- …for the well-being and development of society- Expressed through “socially responsible

behaviour”…- …by individuals and organizations- …including business and government.

Behaviours make SR, not processes

Social responsibility (SR) is implemented through “contributions to society”

based on an active stakeholder dialogue

ISO 26000 Workshop


ISO 26000 characteristics- Offers “guidance”, is not a “guideline”…- …directed to all types and sizes of organizations - Contains recommendations, advice, and

orientation- Is not a management system standard - Does not contain requirements -> is not

certifiable- Is not for assessments and…- …not for contractual use - …in no way obligatoryOrganizations decide about the use,

voluntarily, and in their sole responsibility

ISO 26000 Workshop


ISO 26000 structure

1. Scope2. Terms and definitions3. Understanding SR4. Principles of SR5. Recognizing SR and engaging stakeholders6. Guidance on SR core subjects

(7 core subjects and 37 issues)7. Guidance on integrating SR throughout an

organization


- Broad international consensus (ISO consensus, trying to balance content and applicability)

- good orientation for starting a SR/CSR journey

- good basis for stakeholder dialogue- good basis for company-external discussions- good basis for cross-border dialogues- freedom of use: offering guidance where

users may select from the parts judged relevant at a particular point of time

ISO 26000, main strengths

ISO 26000 Workshop


- need to purchase the document (€50 to €160)- explicit inclusion of SMEs incl. micro-

organizations - volume, complexity, in part redundant- large emphasis on consumer issues - several weak definitions (like organization,

stakeholder, international norms of behaviour)- too focused on organization-internal processes,

less on possible contributions to society- claiming relevance of all core subjects to all

orgs- remarkable potential of misconceptions and

misusehttp://www.26k-estimation.com/html/misconceptions_and_misuse.html#Misuse

ISO 26000, main weaknesses

ISO 26000 Workshop

http://www.26k-estimation.com/html/misconceptions_and_misuse.html


ISO 26000 Workshop


Why is ISO 26000 not for certification?Because• Societies are different• Their demands/expectations vary dramatically, and

over time• Organizations are different• There is no “one way” to contribute to society• Certification would address the formal side while

substantive SR promotes well-being• Certificates detract attention from substantive SR • Certificates may lull management into a false sense of

securityCertifying to ISO 26000 is misusing the guidance standard

More at http://www.26k-estimation.com/html/misconceptions_and_misuse.html#Misuse



ISO 26000 Workshop


Substantive SR vs. process SR

Substantive SR creative contributions to society

in an endless varietyProcess SR

limited variety(certificate)

Situations are in permanent change:societie

sneeds organizatio

nsindividuals preparednes

sLaws regulations expectations

co-operations …..

ISO 26000 Workshop


ISO 26000

There are many other codes in use

UN Global Compact

DJSI

GRI

AA1000

SA 8000

Trade Associations’

Codes of Conduct

ILO Conventions

National SR Laws and Regulations

Labour standards

Environment standards ……

National SR standards

International norms of behaviour

UNDHR EFQM

There is nothing wrong in not using ISO 26000, but…

ISO 26000 Workshop


ISO 26000 use - Is voluntary- Meet demands of (mostly local) society- Orientation on SR core subjects and issues

(but there are also other SR issues)- Identify/select issues of actual importance

- Specify your possible contributions to society, regardless by which internal processes

- Make your way knownEach organization is different……each society is different……each situation is different… each use of ISO 26000 is unique

ISO 26000 WorkshopLarge enterprises and ISO 26000

No enterprise has eagerly waited for ISO 26000, since many other tools are already practiced; however, ISO 26000 offers a good orientation, so that some

explicitly use its structure/headlines in their reporting

use it without mentioning it don’t use it include statement of use into their reporting

Either way is reasonable: “ISO 26000 = guidance”


ISO 26000 Workshop


There are several ISO 26000 tools around:- Complex ones- Easy-to-handle ones….Auto diagnostic tool (Alares Foundation): http://www.rspymes.es

CSR self assessment tool for schools http://csr.eslcompany.com ISO 26k self assessment tool(http://www.google.es/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&frm=1&source=web&cd=26&ved=0CF0QF jAFOBQ&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cbi.eu%2Fdownload%2Fsub document%2FSelf asse ssment ISO 26000 issues.xls&ei=OKrQT8-FCsOU0QXJj83JCw&usg=AFQjCNHFeoBV6tBGCzqkOEdwU2XEnYuIcw&sig2=8PFckZ2A2 1bgbsC-le-PSA)

ISO 26000: Practical guide for SMEs http://responsabilitate-sociala.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/ISO 26000 Practical Guide SITE.pdf

ECOLOGIA Handbook for SMEs, http://www.ecologia.org/isosr/ISO26000Handbook.pdf NORMAPME ISO 26000 user guide for European SMEs, http://www.normapme.eu/en/page/45/corporate-social-responsibility

ISO 26000 Free toolkit http://www.llco.lu/blog/?p=126 -> www.26k-estimation.com

http://www.rspymes.es/

http://www.rspymes.es/

http://csr.eslcompany.com/

http://csr.eslcompany.com/

http://www.google.es/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&frm=1&source=web&cd=26&ved=0CF0QF

http://2fwww.cbi.eu/

http://responsabilitate-sociala.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/ISO%2026000%20Practical%20Guide%20SITE.pdf



http://www.ecologia.org/isosr/ISO26000Handbook.pdf

http://www.normapme.eu/en/page/45/corporate-social-responsibility

http://www.normapme.eu/en/page/45/corporate-social-responsibility

http://www.llco.lu/blog/?p=126

http://www.llco.lu/blog/?p=126

http://www.26k-estimation.com/

ISO 26000 Workshop


26k-issue-toolSix questions per issue, with decreasing significance:

1. Is the core subject or its issues deemed relevant to your organization?

2. What leverage does your organization have on this issue?

3. What kind of activities can your organization undertake on this issue?

4. Are your possible activities in line with applicable law?

5. What impact will your possible activities have?

6. Which stakeholders would you involve in this issue?

ISO 26000 Workshop


26k-issue-tool, basic logic

Rele-

vance? Leverage? Activi-ties? Impact? Law? Stake-

holder?

core subject A

YES continue with

issues of core subject A

issue A1 YES YES NO

continue with

A2 issue A2 NO continue with A3 issue A3 YES YES YES YES YES YES

issue A... YES YES YES YES YES NO

core subject B

NO continue with core subject C

issue B...

ISO 26000 Workshop


26k-issue-tool, Excel sheet, excerptHow to use this tool? Please see "Step 5 You can identify the relevance…" of the 26k-user-guide.

26k-Issue-Tool for using ISO 26000

© Guido Guertler All rights reserved Please observe the details of handling this copyright as described in line 58 column B and C at the end of this Excel sheet

Question 1 Question 2 Question 3CORE SUBJECTS and ISSUES

Is the core subject and its issues judged relevant for my organization?

What leverage does my organization have on this issue?

What kind of activities can my organization undertake on this issue?

6.2 Organizational Governance Accountability, transparency, ethical behavior, respect for stakeholder interests, and respect for the rule of law

answer answer answer

6.3 Human rights Due diligence answer answer Human rights risk situations answer Avoidance of complicity

ISO 26000 WorkshopHow to decide on the relevance of a

core subject or an issue?

It’s an organization’s free decision

A possible result of the stakeholder dialogue

…prevailing applicable law

…product spectrum

…size of organization

To decide in view of e.g.:

…other codes used


ISO 26000 WorkshopExamples of decisions on the relevance

of a core subject or an issue?

An automotive components manufacturer may consider “consumer issues” an irrelevant core subject

So also e.g. schools or hospitals on “community involvement and development”

An enterprise conducting business only in Europe may consider guidance on “human rights” irrelevant because law exists and is properly enforced

A German manufacturer may consider the issue “Health and safety at the workplace” irrelevant in view of social dialogue, national law, and regulation

A local company may consider all guidance on “international norms of behaviour” not relevant


ISO 26000 Workshop


The 26k-select® software

This software portrays the 26k-issue-tool (excel sheet ), but offers a significant added value:

1. Interactive ISO 26000 application projects2. Progressing in steps, not overlooking any item3. Flexibility: Application projects may be designed for an

entire enterprise, a business unit, a regional unit, or a just

a department or a group4. Storage of application projects; the issue analysis can be

completed at any time; repeated analysis after a time 5. Inclusion of, and reference to, relevant existing

documents 6. 26k-select produces a WORD document on the results7. Complete documentation of considerations for e.g.

stakeholder dialogue.

ISO 26000 Workshop


The European Commission's final draft "A renewed EU strategy 2011 - 2014 for Corporate Social Responsibility“ of November 2011is remarkable in some aspects:

The EU urges enterprises with more than 1000 employees to voluntarily engage more in CSR

The EU takes into account the special role and situation of European SMEs

The EU gives equal importance to UNGC, GRI, or ISO 26000

The EU envisages regulation if a voluntary approach doesnot work properly.

Using the 26k-issue-tool resp. the 26k-select software

meets the EC’s expectations

ISO 26000 Workshop


26k-user-guide and 26k-issue-tool*, availability:English, Spanish, French, Chinese, Czech, GermanIn the pipeline: Arabic, Laohttp://www.26k-estimation.com/html/user_guides_iso_26000.html http://www.26k-estimation.com/html/the_26k-issue-tool.html

26k-select software:German: October 2012English, French, Spanish: autumn 2012 onwardsOther languages: to be defined

*referenced by IFAN, the International Federation of Standards Users, see http://www.ifan.org/ifanportal/livelink/fetch/2000/2035/36282/394607/social_responsibility/index-sr.html

http://www.26k-estimation.com/html/user_guides_iso_26000.html

http://www.26k-estimation.com/html/user_guides_iso_26000.html

http://www.26k-estimation.com/html/the_26k-issue-tool.html

http://www.26k-estimation.com/html/the_26k-issue-tool.html

http://www.ifan.org/ifanportal/livelink/fetch/2000/2035/36282/394607/social_responsibility/index-sr.html



ISO 26000 Workshop


What are the final recommendations to larger companies:

Take into account its increasing global recognition

Check its add value Have prepared your position; you may be

asked for If you use ISO 26000, communicate it Encourage your supply chain to use ISO

26000, but don’t make this a contractual requirement

ISO 26000 Workshop


…and how to communicate the use? It’s your choice, you may:

Use the ISO recommended text (or vary it) Use your own text, separate, or as part of

your CSR reporting

Practice a “self-declaration” Publish “We are an ISO 26000 enterprise.” Use the recommended logo

Other options

…but always accompanied by information on facts

Thank you for your attention.

Some slides in annex …


ISO 26000 Workshop

ISO 26000 Workshop


Guido GürtlerNORMAPME expert and ICC observer to ISO 26000 ACE26000 (Advice, Creativity, Efficiency in using

ISO 26000)Farmerstr. 17D-82194 GröbenzellT +49 8421 570933

www.26k-estimation.com on ISO 26000www.ace26k.com micro-company

Castro 17E-36948 Hío, CangasT +34 986 32 82 88

M +49 173 350 27 [email protected]: ace26k

http://www.26k-estimation.com/

http://www.ace26k.com/

mailto:[email protected]

“This International Standard is not a management system standard. It is not intended or appropriate for certification purposes or regulatory or contractual use. Any offer to certify, or claims to be certified, to ISO 26000 would be a misrepresentation of the intent and purpose and a misuse of this International Standard.As this International Standard does not contain requirements, any such certification would not be ademonstration of conformity with this International Standard.”

Annex


ISO 26000, scope, excerpt

ISO 26000 Guidance on Social Responsibility Communication on its application

We hereby state that our organization is well acquainted with ISO 26000, its content, and how it may be used to prioritize and to work with social responsibility. We recognize ISO 26000 as a reference document that provides guidance on social responsibility. We have used ISO 26000 as a guide to integrate social responsibility into our values and practices. More details are given on <our website> and/or in <our report>. For any further information please contact the undersigned.

Date and place….. Signature(s)….. Address

Annex


Draft proposal, in line with ISO‘s recommendations


26k-user-guide

Tip 1: Purchase ISO 26000; look for the best price, e.g. at http://www.26k-estimation.com/html/best_prices_for_iso_26000.html

Tip 2: Deny certification offers because certification is a misuse of ISO 26000.Tip 3: If certification bodies approach you, ask them how they use ISO 26000 for their own organization.Tip 4: Disapprove certification because it is counter-productive to the enhancement of social responsibility. Tip 5: Do not hesitate to inform government that ISO 26000 must not to be used for regulatory purposes.

Annex

http://www.26k-estimation.com/html/best_prices_for_iso_26000.html




26k-user-guide

Tip 6: Do not hesitate to warn business partners that ISO 26000 is not applicable for contractual use. Tip 7: Several ISO 26000 issues may be covered by national law. Consult e.g. your trade association because ISO 26000 guidance is basically not relevant in such cases. Tip 8: Decide whether your entity is an “organization”* as defined in ISO 26000.

* “2.12 organization entity or group of people and facilities with an arrangement of responsibilities, authorities and relationships and identifiable objectives”

Tip 9: Use the 26k-issue-tool to identify core subjects and issues which you consider relevant to your organization.

Annex


26k-user-guide

Tip 11: Don’t be too happy with your analysis because an ISO document cannot cover all possibilities; feel encouraged to look for additional items that could be favorably applied in your unique situation to meet actual needs of “your” society (substantive SR).

Tip 10: Don’t be surprised if not all issues of all core subjects are judged relevant to your organization.

Tip 12: Use the findings of your application of the 26k-issue-tool as a most valuable input for your stakeholder dialogue.

Tip 13: Feel encouraged using the EFQM model (or others) for your own estimation of the added value of ISO 26000; include your findings into your stakeholder dialogue.

Annex


26k-user-guide

Tip 14: Compare ISO 26000 with trade associations’ codes of ethics or codes of conduct and decide which code or “mixture of codes” you want to follow.Tip 15: as SME you may conduct the analysis and the stakeholder dialogue jointly with representatives of your trade association and/or other trade association members.Tip 16: If you find alternative offers, which better meet your expectations, use ISO 26000 in a complementary way. Add a related remark to your ISO 26000 communication.

Tip 17: Use the ISO-recommended communication towards customers, suppliers, governments and other stakeholders.Tip 18: Accept this kind of SR communication from your partners.

Annex

Documents

CSR Europe London, 21. September 2012, at Ricoh Europe; by Guido Gürtler ISO 26000 Workshop Using ISO 26000 in a structured way