ISO Publishes New Guidance on Sustainability and ISO Standards Development

The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) recently announced the publication of ISO Guide 82, Guidelines for addressing sustainability in standards, a document intended to provide ISO Technical Committees (TCs) and Subcommittees (SCs) with guidance on how to incorporate sustainability into the development and revision of ISO standards. The new guide, the use of which is voluntary for ISO TCs and SCs, encourages examination of sustainability issues during all stages of the development of International Standards.

The guide is intended to raise awareness among members of ISO TCs and SCs regarding the ways in which the application of International Standards developed by ISO can affect sustainability. It provides a systematic and consistent approach for considering and addressing sustainability issues in the standards development context. The guide cautions against concluding that specific activities, products, or services are sustainable, and notes the complex web of factors, variables, and conditions that can affect sustainability outcomes.

ISO Guide 82 was developed by the ISO Technical Management Board (TMB) Sustainability Guidance Drafting Group (SGDG). The SGDG is made of up TMB members - including the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), the U.S. member body to ISO - and external sustainability experts who were nominated by members of the TMB [see related story].

ISO Guide 82 is now available for purchase online at ANSI‘s eStandards Store (eSS). To learn more about ISO and its activities, visit www.iso.org.