The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) will hold an international conference on social responsibility on June 21-22 in Stockholm. The conference will bring 400 representatives of government, business, labor, non-governmental groups and international organizations together to debate whether or not ISO should develop an international standard on social responsibility.

Over the past year, an ISO advisory group on CSR has been developing a report on the subject, scheduled to be completed by May 1 as input to the conference. The advisory group will also develop recommendations to ISO on whether ISO should begin any activities on CSR and if so, what form they should take. Two USCIB affiliates, the International Chamber of Commerce and the International Organisation of Employers are represented on the advisory group.

Three main issues are driving this discussion in ISO. First, national standards on CSR are being developed – Australia, Japan, Brazil, Israel and the UK have all begun this, and others are considering such a move. Second, there is increasing pressure for national or regional legislation on corporate responsibility, most notably in Europe. Finally, an ISO standard would present business opportunities for certification.

A complicating factor in the debate is the wide array of possible ISO deliverables on CSR, ranging from a certification standard to a pure guidance document. To date, business groups have generally opposed attempts to standardize CSR, on the grounds that the issue is evolving rapidly and that a standard would stifle innovation and diversity. However, some have suggested that ISO develop a guidance on CSR jointly with other organizations (such as the International Labor Organization or the World Bank) to better explain the issues and promote good corporate citizenship.

USCIB’s Corporate Responsibility Committee debated these options at its February 19 meeting in Washington, D.C. and will continue to develop business’s position in advance of the international conference in June.