ISEAL Code of Good Practice for Setting Social and Environmental Standards
Basic information
- Host or sponsor: Umbrella organisation
- Type: Code of Conduct/Ethics
- Year established: 2002
- Status: Active
- Thematic area: Environmental and social impact, Social care and services, Other
- Summary: The ISEAL Alliance is the global association for social and environmental standards. Working with established and emerging voluntary standard systems ISEAL develops guidance and helps strengthen the effectiveness and impact of these standards. They also work with companies, non-profits and governments to support their referencing and use of voluntary standards.
ISEAL members are committed to creating solid and credible standard systems that give business, governments and consumers the ability to choose goods and services that have been ethically sourced, help the environment and guarantee producers a decent living. ISEAL builds an understanding of good practices for standards systems and sets internationally applicable good practice guidance for the implementation of credible standards systems. These Codes of Good Practice in Impacts assessment and Standard Setting are applied by leading standards systems and compliance is an ISEAL membership requirement. The Code of Good Practice for Assuring Compliance with Social and Environmental Standards is currently in development (first formal consultation of draft beginning November 1 2011).
Contact details
- Host organisation: ISEAL Alliance
- Website: www.isealalliance.org
- Email: info@isealalliance.org
- Phone: +44 (0)20 3246 0066
- Address: The Wenlock Centre
50-52 Wharf Road
London, N1 7EU
United Kingdom
Areas addressed
- Principles or standards: Principles-based
- Communications / advocacy / fundraising:
- General commitment to transparency
- Beneficiary / client / supporter participation:
- General commitment to beneficiary participation
- Cross-cutting thematic areas:
- Environmental impact
- Human rights
- CSO collaboration and partnership
Further info: o Social and environmental impact
o Transparency, good practice, credibility principles (concepts and actions that underpin effective standards systems) and tools (Codes)
o Poverty alleviation and livelihoods (assessing impact of certification on this issue)
o Interoperability of schemes
collaboration and partnership
o Emerging economies
o Sustainability (in supply chains)
o Business engagement
Participation
- Reasons for participation
- Membership requirement
- Further information: Credibility in sustainability/voluntary standards movement, opportunities to interact and collaborate with leading standards systems, draw on ISEAL’s expertise as a hub of innovative learning and knowledge sharing through a suite of Credibility Tools, bespoke technical support offered to Members etc.
Compliance
- Evidence base: Desk
- Description of monitoring mechanism: Compliance with Codes of Good Practice (requirement of membership): Associate Members must be compliant with Codes of Good Practice within one year of approval as an Associate in order to become a Full Member. Self assessment by members of their compliance against the Standard Setting Code is independently audited through the ISEAL Independent Evaluation Mechanism [desk study and telephone interview], as is the Impacts Code.
- Has sanctioning mechanism: No
