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ActiveInternational Standardupdate Standard Updated: October 2010fact_check Fact checked: Jun 28, 2026

ISO 26000:2010

Guidance on social responsibility

apartmentPublishing Organization:International Organization for Standardization (ISO)

Global Services Manufacturing Finance & Banking Government Retail Energy

Standard Introduction

ISO 26000:2010 is an active standard published by International Organization for Standardization (ISO). It is commonly used across Services, Manufacturing, Finance & Banking, Government, Retail, Energy and applies in Global.

Use this page to review the official documentation, current status, and the certification or assessment bodies most commonly associated with ISO 26000:2010.

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Seven Core Subjects

Organizes social responsibility around governance, human rights, labour practices, environment, fair operating practices, consumer issues, and community involvement.

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Stakeholder-Centered Guidance

Helps organizations identify relevant stakeholders and integrate social responsibility into decisions, culture, strategy, and daily operations.

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Non-Certifiable Framework

Provides guidance rather than requirements, making it useful for CSR and ESG programs without creating a certification claim.

list_alt Social Responsibility Focus Areas

Organizational governance
Human rights due diligence
Labour practices and worker welfare
Environmental responsibility
Fair operating practices and anti-corruption
Consumer issues and responsible marketing
Community involvement and development

Who Needs to Comply?

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Organizations of any type and size that want to structure social responsibility, CSR, ESG, stakeholder engagement, responsible sourcing, and sustainable development work without pursuing a certifiable management system.

Key Requirements

Recognize Social Responsibility

Understand how the organization's decisions and activities affect society, the environment, workers, consumers, communities, and other interested parties.

Identify and Engage Stakeholders

Map stakeholders, understand their legitimate interests, and use engagement to inform priorities, risks, objectives, and improvement actions.

Address Core Subjects

Assess relevance and significance across ISO 26000's seven core subjects, then prioritize issues based on impact, influence, and stakeholder expectations.

Integrate Into Governance

Embed social responsibility into strategy, policies, roles, procurement, communications, reporting, and decision-making processes.

Review and Communicate Progress

Monitor outcomes, communicate transparently, learn from stakeholder feedback, and improve practices over time.

Penalties & Enforcement

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ISO 26000 is guidance only and is not designed for certification, so there are no direct penalties for non-use. However, weak social responsibility practices can create legal, procurement, investor, employee, consumer, and reputational exposure.