The secretary-general of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) has responded to a letter from the Global Compact Office. In the letter, the executive director of the Office requested ISO to remove the reference to the Global Compact from the annex of the ISO 26000 standard – an international standard that provides guidance on social responsibility.In his reply to the Global Compact Office, ISO's secretary-general Robert Steele says that he views as "unfortunate" that the Office wishes there not be any mention of the Compact in the ISO 26000 standard. According to Mr. Steele, the current draft of the standard is "at least consistent with the ten universal principles" of the Compact. He also states that the Global Compact Office has been involved in different levels of the working group that is drafting the standard, and that the Office has "indeed been able to contribute and indicate [its] perspectives on the evolution of this ISO standard."
In 2006, the Office signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with ISO related to the development of the ISO 26000 standard. The purpose of this MoU was to encourage cooperation and mutual support between ISO and the Global Compact Office. Specifically, both parties agreed to collaborate extensively on the development, promotion and support of the ISO 26000 standard. In an explanatory note published in November 2006, the executive director of the Office said that the outcome of the ISO 26000 process as a minimum should be consistent with and complement the ten principles of the UN Global Compact.
As Mr. Steele correctly states in his letter, the current version of ISO 26000 is consistent with the principles of the Compact. However, it is clear that the Global Compact expected to feature as a main character in the new ISO 26000 standard.
© Photo by Fred.
1 comments:
I have begun to wonder if there are real people in the office of the Global Compact. I say this because I feel that there is no thinking in any of its activities. ts responses are shot gun type. Action without though or understanding. Like in the case of my organisation the Global Gandhian Trusteeship and Corporate Responsibility Foundation, a registered trust. We have been accused of misusing the GC logo on our site Hamara Global Compact and creating confusion among participants. The fact of the matter is that we do not use any logo and we do not claim to be spokesmen of the GC. Kell's anger against the Foundation is because we are raising issues which are embarrassing for his friend Uddesh Kohli who has been manipulating events in the Local Network to retain his hold on the organisation. One wonders if the GC really relevant. If it fulfilling the objectives it has been created for or is it there to pamper and issue certificates to its favourites.There is need formore critical review of its functioning
Suresh Kr Pramar
Managing Trustee
Global Gandhian Trusteeship and Corporate Responsibility Foundation
New Delhi India
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