Responsible Business Practices and Sustainability Reporting: ANSI Seeks Comments on Proposed International Committees

Share your thoughts on a proposal for a new field of technical activity on responsible business practices and sustainability reporting by September 2.

According to the proposal, sustainability practices help developed and developing countries enhance transparency and reduce emissions, while underdeveloped countries can leverage sustainability to access global markets, improve governance, and build climate resilience. The proposed ISO Technical Committee (TC) and Subcommittees (SC) would provide a strategic and practical solution to address the growing demand for integrated sustainability and accountability frameworks.

Submitted by BSI (UK), ABNT (Brazil), DS (Denmark), AFNOR (France) and BIS (India), the proposal includes the following scope statement:

“Standardization in the field of responsible business practices, corporate sustainability, ESG principles, and transparent reporting frameworks. This includes:

• Horizontal frameworks and guidance to support the management of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
• Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) horizontal principles, including disclosures and performance measurement.
• Social responsibility frameworks, to enhance accountability for the impacts of decisions and activities on society and the environment, ethical business operations, and community engagement.”

The following are excluded from the scope:

• TC 207, Environment Management
• TC 309, Governance of Organizations
• TC 322, Sustainable Finance

Read the proposal and submit comments to Sara Desautels, ANSI senior director of international policy and strategy, at [email protected] by close of business on Wednesday, September 2. ANSI will incorporate all input into a recommended position and draft comments for ANSI ISO Council approval ahead of the October 1 ISO voting deadline.