Both public and private sector organisations are increasingly aware of the need to behave in a more socially responsible way, and the need to be able to demonstrate this to customers, suppliers and stakeholders.

BS ISO 26000 is a standard that provides guidelines for social responsibility. It covers issues such as organisational governance, human rights, labour practices, the environment, fair operating practices, consumer issues, and community involvement and development.

This standard intended to be useful to all types of organisations in the private, public and non-profit sectors, whether they are large or small, and whether they operate in developed or developing countries. Not all parts of the standard will be relevant to every business, but its core subjects are useful for all organisations, and the standard emphasises the importance of results and improvements in performance on social responsibility.

BS ISO 26000:2010 - 'Guidance on social responsibility' costs £100 (£50 for BSI members) and is available from the BSI website.