ISO 26000 Checklist

Use this ISO 26000 checklist to self-assess CSR and ESG practices, conduct a social responsibility audit across all seven core subjects, and align with sustainable development requirements.

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ISO 26000 Checklist



Clause 4 — Principles Of Social Responsibility

1. The organization has formally committed to the seven ISO 26000 principles of social responsibility: accountability, transparency, ethical behaviour, respect for stakeholder interests, respect for the rule of law, respect for international norms of behaviour, and respect for human rights.


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2. The principles are embedded in the organization's values, code of conduct, or equivalent governing documents.


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3. Senior leadership demonstrates visible commitment to social responsibility principles through decision-making, communications, and resource allocation.


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4. The organization goes beyond legal compliance in applying social responsibility principles, treating compliance with applicable law as a baseline rather than a ceiling.


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5. Social responsibility principles are applied consistently across all of the organization's activities, not only in areas of visible public scrutiny.


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Clause 5 — Recognizing Social Responsibility And Engaging Stakeholders

1. The organization has identified its stakeholders — those whose interests may be affected by the organization's decisions and activities — and has documented this identification.


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2. Stakeholder identification covers a broad range of groups including employees, customers, suppliers, local communities, civil society organizations, regulators, and vulnerable or marginalized groups affected by the organization's activities.


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3. A process is in place for ongoing stakeholder engagement, enabling stakeholders to participate in identifying relevant social responsibility issues and to provide feedback on the organization's performance.


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4. Stakeholder engagement is genuine and two-way: findings from engagement activities are documented and used to inform the organization's social responsibility priorities and actions.


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5. The organization has assessed its sphere of influence — the range of relationships and activities over which it can exercise influence — and uses this assessment to define the scope of its social responsibility efforts.


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6. The organization's sphere of influence analysis covers its supply chain, business partners, and other entities whose activities it can affect through its decisions and relationships.


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7. The organization distinguishes between issues within its direct control and those within its sphere of influence, and applies appropriate approaches to both.


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Clause 6.2 — Organizational Governance

1. The organization's governance structure supports accountability for social responsibility performance, with named roles or bodies responsible for overseeing SR commitments and outcomes.


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2. Social responsibility considerations are integrated into the organization's decision-making processes, including strategic planning, investment decisions, and procurement.


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3. The organization has mechanisms for reporting, assessing, and addressing concerns raised by employees, stakeholders, or the public about the organization's social and environmental conduct.


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4. Ethical standards and anti-corruption principles are embedded in the organization's governance framework, including codes of conduct, conflict of interest policies, and whistleblower protection mechanisms.


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5. The organization's governance processes are transparent, with relevant information about governance structures, decision-making, and performance made available to stakeholders.


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6. The organization reviews its social responsibility performance at defined intervals and makes adjustments based on the results of those reviews.


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7. Women and underrepresented groups have meaningful participation in the organization's governance processes and leadership structures.


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Clause 6.3 — Human Rights

1. The organization has a human rights policy or equivalent commitment that is approved by senior leadership and communicated to all relevant personnel and business partners.


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2. The organization conducts human rights due diligence to identify actual and potential adverse human rights impacts arising from its activities and within its sphere of influence.


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3. Human rights risks in the supply chain and among business partners are assessed and addressed, with evidence that suppliers are engaged on human rights expectations.


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4. The organization has processes to address situations where it has caused or contributed to adverse human rights impacts, including grievance mechanisms accessible to affected individuals and communities.


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5. The organization does not engage in or support discrimination on any grounds — including race, gender, age, disability, religion, political opinion, national origin, or sexual orientation — in its employment practices or business dealings.


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6. Child labor is prohibited throughout the organization's operations and supply chain, with procedures in place to identify and address instances where child labor is found.


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7. Forced, compulsory, or trafficked labor is prohibited and the organization takes active steps to identify and eliminate these risks within its supply chain and among business partners.


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8. The right of employees and workers to freedom of association and collective bargaining is respected in all jurisdictions where the organization operates.


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9. The organization respects civil and political rights, including privacy, freedom of expression, and peaceful assembly, in its operations and in the design of its products and services.


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Clause 6.4 — Labour Practices

1. Employment conditions offered by the organization — including wages, working hours, rest periods, and leave entitlements — comply with applicable law and, where possible, exceed minimum legal requirements.


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2. The organization ensures that wages are sufficient to meet the basic needs of workers and their families, with a commitment to living wage principles where feasible.


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3. Working hours are managed to protect employees' health and wellbeing, with overtime managed in accordance with legal requirements and employee consent.


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4. The organization provides a safe and healthy working environment, with documented occupational health and safety policies, risk assessments, and controls in place.


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5. Access to training, skills development, and career progression opportunities is provided equitably to all employees, including those in lower-wage or lower-skilled roles.


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6. Disciplinary procedures are fair, documented, and communicated to all employees, and workers have the right to representation in disciplinary processes.


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7. The organization has processes to address workplace harassment, bullying, and inappropriate behaviour, with investigation procedures that protect complainants from retaliation.


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8. Social protection measures — including access to health insurance, sickness benefits, parental leave, and retirement provisions — are provided at or above minimum legal requirements.


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9. Labour practices are applied consistently to workers in non-standard employment relationships, including temporary, agency, subcontracted, and platform workers within the organization's sphere of influence.


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10. The organization engages in constructive dialogue with employee representatives, trade unions, or equivalent bodies in jurisdictions where these exist.


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Clause 6.5 — The Environment

1. The organization has an environmental policy approved by senior leadership that commits to minimizing adverse environmental impacts and contributing to environmental protection.


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2. Environmental impacts of the organization's activities — including energy consumption, greenhouse gas emissions, water use, waste generation, and land use — are identified, measured, and reported.


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3. The organization applies the precautionary approach to environmental risk: where there is scientific uncertainty about the environmental impact of an activity, precautionary action is taken rather than awaiting definitive evidence of harm.


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4. The organization has set targets for reducing its environmental footprint, including carbon emissions, water consumption, and waste, with progress measured and reported at defined intervals.


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5. Products and services are designed to minimize environmental impact throughout their lifecycle, including raw material sourcing, manufacturing, use, and end-of-life disposal.


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6. The organization takes active steps to protect and restore biodiversity and natural ecosystems affected by its operations, particularly in ecologically sensitive areas.


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7. The environmental impacts of the organization's supply chain are assessed, and suppliers are engaged on reducing their environmental footprint.


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8. The organization complies with all applicable environmental laws, permits, and regulations, and monitors for changes in legal requirements that may affect its environmental obligations.


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9. Environmental performance is reviewed at defined intervals by senior leadership, with results used to inform environmental targets and resource allocation.


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Clause 6.6 — Fair Operating Practices

1. The organization has a documented anti-corruption policy covering bribery, facilitation payments, conflicts of interest, and gifts and hospitality, with training provided to all relevant personnel.


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2. Due diligence processes are applied to business partners, agents, and intermediaries to assess and mitigate corruption risk within the organization's sphere of influence.


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3. The organization competes fairly in all markets in which it operates, without engaging in anti-competitive practices such as price-fixing, market allocation, or bid-rigging.


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4. The organization respects intellectual property rights, including those of competitors, suppliers, and individuals, in all of its business activities.


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5. The organization uses its influence responsibly in its dealings with governments, regulators, and public bodies, engaging transparently and without attempting to circumvent due process.


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6. Social responsibility requirements — including environmental, labour, human rights, and anti-corruption expectations — are communicated to suppliers and business partners and incorporated into procurement and contracting processes.


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7. The organization monitors its supply chain for adherence to fair operating standards and takes action when suppliers or partners are found to be in breach of agreed expectations.


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8. Lobbying and public affairs activities are conducted transparently and are consistent with the organization's stated social responsibility commitments.


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Clause 6.7 — Consumer Issues

1. Products and services offered by the organization are safe for their intended use, with safety testing, labelling, and post-market monitoring processes in place.


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2. Marketing and advertising communications are truthful, non-deceptive, and do not exploit vulnerable consumers, including children, elderly individuals, or those in financial difficulty.


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3. The organization provides consumers with clear, accurate, and accessible information about products and services, including ingredients, environmental impact, health and safety information, and terms and conditions.


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4. Consumer privacy is protected in all of the organization's data handling practices, with consumers informed about how their personal data is collected, used, and protected.


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5. A consumer complaints and redress mechanism is in place that is accessible, fair, and responsive, with complaints investigated and resolved within defined timeframes.


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6. Consumer feedback — including complaints and compliments — is analyzed and used to improve products, services, and customer experience.


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7. The organization avoids practices that may harm consumers through unfair contract terms, high-pressure sales tactics, or misleading product labelling.


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8. Vulnerable consumer groups are identified and specific protections or considerations are applied to ensure that these groups are not disproportionately disadvantaged by the organization's products, services, or practices.


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Clause 6.8 — Community Involvement And Development

1. The organization engages with the communities in which it operates through regular, two-way communication and involvement in local issues that are relevant to its activities.


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2. The economic impacts of the organization's operations on local communities — including employment, local procurement, and tax contributions — are assessed and communicated.


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3. The organization contributes to the social and economic development of local communities through investment, skills development, local procurement, or other forms of community support.


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4. The organization's community involvement activities are based on genuine assessment of community needs and are developed in partnership with community representatives rather than imposed unilaterally.


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5. The organization takes active steps to avoid adverse impacts on the social fabric, culture, or economic stability of communities affected by its operations, particularly in vulnerable or indigenous communities.


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6. Community investment activities are subject to defined objectives, measurement of outcomes, and regular review to confirm they are delivering the intended social benefit.


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7. The organization has a process for identifying and addressing complaints or concerns raised by members of the communities in which it operates.


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Clause 7 — Integrating Social Responsibility Throughout The Organization

1. Social responsibility objectives are integrated into the organization's strategic plans, business objectives, and performance management processes.


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2. Responsibility for implementing and monitoring social responsibility commitments is assigned to named roles or functions, with sufficient authority and resources to fulfil those responsibilities.


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3. Employees at all levels are aware of the organization's social responsibility commitments and their individual role in upholding them, with training provided where necessary.


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4. The organization measures and tracks its social responsibility performance using defined indicators for each of the seven core subjects, and uses this data to drive improvement.


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5. The organization communicates its social responsibility performance to stakeholders through regular, balanced reporting that covers both achievements and areas requiring improvement.


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6. Social responsibility reporting aligns with recognized reporting frameworks such as the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) or equivalent, to enhance credibility and comparability.


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7. The organization reviews and updates its social responsibility approach at defined intervals to reflect changes in stakeholder expectations, the regulatory environment, and the organization's own operations and impacts.


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8. Lessons learned from social responsibility performance — including successes, failures, and stakeholder feedback — are used to improve commitments, practices, and targets over time.


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Checklist by GoAudits.com – Please note that this checklist is intended as an example. We do not guarantee compliance with the laws applicable to your territory or industry. You should seek professional advice to determine how this checklist should be adapted to your workplace or jurisdiction.

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