{"id":38014,"date":"2023-03-20T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2023-03-20T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/itbid.com\/blog\/iso-standards-related-to-esg-criteria-sustainability-responsibility-and-efficient-management-in-2025-and-2026\/"},"modified":"2023-03-20T00:00:00","modified_gmt":"2023-03-20T00:00:00","slug":"iso-standards-related-to-esg-criteria-sustainability-responsibility-and-efficient-management-in-2025-and-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/itbid.com\/en\/blog\/iso-standards-related-to-esg-criteria-sustainability-responsibility-and-efficient-management-in-2025-and-2026\/","title":{"rendered":"ISO Standards Related to ESG Criteria: Sustainability, Responsibility, and Efficient Management in 2025 and 2026"},"content":{"rendered":"<article class=\"contenido-itbid\">\n<p>The <b>International Organization for Standardization (ISO)<\/b> is a global organization that sets standards to ensure quality, safety, efficiency, and sustainability across various industries. In recent years, ISO has developed a set of standards related to <b>environmental, social, and governance (ESG) performance assessment<\/b>, which have become essential tools for companies seeking to demonstrate their commitment to sustainability and responsible management. <\/p>\n<p>What are <b>ESG criteria<\/b>? They are a set of environmental, social, and governance factors used to assess a company\u2019s sustainability and its impact on the environment in which it operates. Each letter represents a fundamental pillar:  <\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><b>E (Environmental):<\/b> waste management, energy efficiency, emissions reduction, and climate change mitigation.<\/li>\n<li><b>S (Social):<\/b> respect for human rights, equality, diversity, workplace safety, and community relations.<\/li>\n<li><b>G (Governance):<\/b> ethics, transparency, management structure, anti-corruption policies, and risk management.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>In 2025 and 2026, ESG criteria will be an <b>essential requirement<\/b> not only for attracting investors but also for <b>maintaining sustainable business relationships<\/b>. Suppliers that meet these standards will have a clear competitive advantage in bidding and supplier qualification processes, especially in industrial and corporate sectors. <\/p>\n<hr>\n<h2>Most Relevant ISO Standards for ESG Management<\/h2>\n<p>The following are the main ISO standards related to ESG criteria and their practical application in companies:<\/p>\n<table style=\"width:100%;border-collapse:collapse;text-align:left;margin:20px 0;\">\n<thead style=\"background-color:#f5f5f5;\">\n<tr>\n<th style=\"padding:10px;border:1px solid #ddd;\">ISO Standard<\/th>\n<th style=\"padding:10px;border:1px solid #ddd;\">Description and Purpose<\/th>\n<th style=\"padding:10px;border:1px solid #ddd;\">Application to ESG Criteria<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"padding:10px;border:1px solid #ddd;\"><b>ISO 14001<\/b><\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:10px;border:1px solid #ddd;\">Establishes the requirements for an <b>Environmental Management System<\/b> (EMS), helping companies reduce their environmental impact and comply with environmental regulations.<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:10px;border:1px solid #ddd;\">Factor E: Environmental management and improvement of environmental performance.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"padding:10px;border:1px solid #ddd;\"><b>ISO 26000<\/b><\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:10px;border:1px solid #ddd;\">International Guidance on <b>Corporate Social Responsibility<\/b>. It covers human rights, labor practices, the environment, and organizational ethics.<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:10px;border:1px solid #ddd;\">S and G Factors: social responsibility and ethical behavior.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"padding:10px;border:1px solid #ddd;\"><b>ISO 20400<\/b><\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:10px;border:1px solid #ddd;\">Provides guidance on <b>sustainable procurement<\/b>. Enables the integration of sustainability throughout the supply chain.<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:10px;border:1px solid #ddd;\">E, S, and G: responsible procurement management and sustainable suppliers.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"padding:10px;border:1px solid #ddd;\"><b>ISO 14064<\/b><\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:10px;border:1px solid #ddd;\">Framework for measuring and verifying <b>greenhouse gas emissions<\/b>.<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:10px;border:1px solid #ddd;\">E: Quantification of corporate carbon footprint.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"padding:10px;border:1px solid #ddd;\"><b>ISO 14067<\/b><\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:10px;border:1px solid #ddd;\">Defines guidelines for calculating the <b>carbon footprint of products<\/b> from manufacturing through disposal.<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:10px;border:1px solid #ddd;\">E: product life cycle analysis.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"padding:10px;border:1px solid #ddd;\"><b>ISO 22301<\/b><\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:10px;border:1px solid #ddd;\"><b>A business continuity management<\/b> standard <b>that<\/b> helps organizations continue to operate during crises or disruptions.<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:10px;border:1px solid #ddd;\">G: Organizational resilience and risk management.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"padding:10px;border:1px solid #ddd;\"><b>ISO 31000<\/b><\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:10px;border:1px solid #ddd;\">Establishes the principles of <b>risk management<\/b> throughout the organization.<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:10px;border:1px solid #ddd;\">G: ESG risk analysis and mitigation.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"padding:10px;border:1px solid #ddd;\"><b>ISO 26030<\/b><\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:10px;border:1px solid #ddd;\">Integrates <b>social responsibility into project management<\/b> and sustainable decision-making.<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:10px;border:1px solid #ddd;\">S: Social impact and ethics in project management.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"padding:10px;border:1px solid #ddd;\"><b>ISO 26050<\/b><\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:10px;border:1px solid #ddd;\">Guidance on integrating <b>sustainability into corporate strategy<\/b> and organizational governance.<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:10px;border:1px solid #ddd;\">G: sustainable culture, governance, and ethical decision-making.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"padding:10px;border:1px solid #ddd;\"><b>ISO 26020<\/b><\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:10px;border:1px solid #ddd;\">Standard on <b>Decent Work Practices<\/b>: Equality, Diversity, Inclusion, and Workplace Well-being.<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:10px;border:1px solid #ddd;\">S: Working Conditions and Diversity.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"padding:10px;border:1px solid #ddd;\"><b>ISO 19600<\/b><\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:10px;border:1px solid #ddd;\">Provides guidelines for <b>compliance<\/b> and business ethics <b>systems<\/b>.<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:10px;border:1px solid #ddd;\">G: Transparency and Legal Compliance.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"padding:10px;border:1px solid #ddd;\"><b>ISO 19011<\/b><\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:10px;border:1px solid #ddd;\">Guidelines for <b>audits of management systems<\/b> (quality, environmental, social, governance).<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:10px;border:1px solid #ddd;\">G: audit and continuous improvement.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p>In addition, ISO has announced the development of new standards that will take effect between 2025 and 2026:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><b>ISO 37005 (scheduled for 2025):<\/b> focused on <b>ethical governance and anti-corruption efforts<\/b> within organizations, complementing ISO 37001.<\/li>\n<li><b>ISO 59004 (scheduled for 2026):<\/b> focused on the <b>circular economy and resource efficiency<\/b>, helping companies measure their circular performance and product sustainability.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<hr>\n<h2>Common Structure of ISO Standards (High-Level Structure \u2013 HLS)<\/h2>\n<p>Since 2012, ISO standards have shared a <b>high-level structure (HLS)<\/b>, which allows for their integration and consistency across different management systems. This structure consists of 10 main sections: <\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>Organizational Context<\/li>\n<li>Leadership<\/li>\n<li>Planning<\/li>\n<li>Support<\/li>\n<li>Operation<\/li>\n<li>Performance Evaluation<\/li>\n<li>Continuous Improvement<\/li>\n<li>Risk and Opportunity Management<\/li>\n<li>Communication and Stakeholders<\/li>\n<li>Documentation and Evidence<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>This structure facilitates the integration of multiple management systems\u2014such as quality (ISO 9001), environment (ISO 14001), and social responsibility (ISO 26000)\u2014within a single organization, optimizing resources and increasing efficiency.<\/p>\n<hr>\n<h2>Benefits of Implementing ISO Standards Related to ESG<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>They strengthen the company&#8217;s <b>reputation and credibility<\/b> with customers and investors.<\/li>\n<li>They enable <b>the<\/b> accurate and traceable <b>measurement and reporting<\/b> of <b>ESG indicators<\/b>.<\/li>\n<li>They facilitate access to <b>sustainable financing<\/b> and green investment programs.<\/li>\n<li>They help <b>ensure compliance with international standards<\/b> and local regulations regarding sustainability.<\/li>\n<li>They promote a <b>responsible<\/b> and collaborative <b>supply chain<\/b>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Adopting these standards not only improves environmental, social, and governance performance, but also boosts operational efficiency and business competitiveness.<\/p>\n<hr>\n<h2>Frequently Asked Questions About ISO Standards and ESG Criteria<\/h2>\n<dl>\n<dt><b>What is the difference between ISO 26000 and ISO 20400?<\/b><\/dt>\n<dd>ISO 26000 addresses social responsibility at the organizational level, while ISO 20400 applies those principles specifically to procurement and the supply chain.<\/dd>\n<dt><b>Are ISO standards mandatory?<\/b><\/dt>\n<dd>No, they are voluntary. However, many companies adopt them to meet the requirements of customers, investors, or public tenders.<\/dd>\n<dt><b>How do ISO standards help manage ESG performance?<\/b><\/dt>\n<dd>They provide standardized methodologies for measuring, auditing, and improving environmental, social, and governance indicators, thereby promoting accountability and transparency.<\/dd>\n<dt><b>Which sectors apply ESG standards the most?<\/b><\/dt>\n<dd>Primarily manufacturing, energy, construction, transportation, technology, and finance, although its adoption cuts across all industries.<\/dd>\n<dt><b>What will the new ESG standards be in 2026?<\/b><\/dt>\n<dd>ISO 59004 on the circular economy and ISO 37005 on ethical governance are expected to be published, expanding the global corporate sustainability framework.<\/dd>\n<\/dl>\n<hr>\n<h3>Conclusion<\/h3>\n<p><b>ISO standards related to ESG<\/b> are now a global benchmark for companies seeking to integrate sustainability and social responsibility into their management practices. Their implementation enhances transparency, improves efficiency, and builds trust among investors, customers, and suppliers. <\/p>\n<p>In the coming years, organizations that adopt an approach aligned with ISO standards will be better prepared to address the challenges of sustainability and governance in the global market.<\/p>\n<p>If you want to implement or strengthen your ESG strategy, our <a href=\"https:\/\/itbid.com\/en\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" style=\"color:#00ccff;text-decoration:underline;\">collaborative supplier management platform, itbid<\/a>, features a <b>specialized ESG management module<\/b> that allows you to audit, monitor, and evaluate your suppliers according to your own standards.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/itbid.com\/en\/request-a-demo\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" style=\"color:#00ccff;text-decoration:underline;\">Request a demo here<\/a> and discover how itbid can help you manage sustainability throughout your supply chain.<\/p>\n<\/article>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) is a global organization that sets standards to ensure quality, safety, efficiency, and sustainability across various industries. In recent years, ISO has developed a set of standards related to environmental, social, and governance (ESG) performance assessment, which have become essential tools for companies seeking to demonstrate their commitment to [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"content-type":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[63,82],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-38014","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-articles-and-guides","category-risk-and-esg-in-procurement"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/itbid.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/38014","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/itbid.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/itbid.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/itbid.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/itbid.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=38014"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/itbid.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/38014\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/itbid.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=38014"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/itbid.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=38014"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/itbid.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=38014"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}