ISO 26000 Assurance | Social Responsibility Assessment

Overview

ISO 26000 Social Responsibility and Governance

ISO 26000 is an international guidance standard that helps organisations understand, integrate, and communicate social responsibility across their decisions and activities. It sets out key principles, core subjects, and recommended practices rather than prescriptive requirements, and is therefore not intended for traditional certification.

IRClass – IRQS supports organisations with independent ISO 26000‑based assessments that review policies, practices, and stakeholder engagement against the standard’s guidance. The outcome is a structured Statement of Conformity that demonstrates how an organisation aligns with recognised social responsibility expectations while supporting ESG and sustainability goals.

Scope of ISO 26000 Assessment

IRClass – IRQS provides independent assessment services covering ISO 26000 principles and core subjects.

Principles of social responsibility

Review of how governance embeds accountability, transparency, ethics, stakeholder interests, rule of law, international norms, and human rights.

Core subjects and issues

Assessment across all seven ISO 26000 core subjects.

Stakeholder engagement

Evaluation of stakeholder identification, expectations, and integration into decision-making.

Policies, systems & due diligence

Review of policies, management systems, due diligence, and grievance mechanisms supporting responsible conduct.

Performance and disclosure

High-level review of KPIs, actions, and social responsibility reporting.

Our Approach

A reliable methodology for ISO 26000 assessment

Step 1 – Scoping & context review

Define assessment scope, entities, geographies, and priority topics, considering size, sector, and stakeholder expectations.

Step 2 – Document review & gap analysis

Analyse policies, procedures, risk assessments, codes of conduct, and disclosures against ISO 26000 guidance to identify strengths and gaps.

Step 3 – Interviews & stakeholder evidence

Conduct interviews and sample reviews (and, where relevant, site visits) to understand implementation and gather evidence of practice.

Step 4 – Evaluation & improvement planning

Evaluate alignment with ISO 26000 principles and core subjects, and highlight good practices, weaknesses, and improvement opportunities.

Step 5 – Statement of Conformity

Issue an independent Statement of Conformity summarising scope, methodology, and conclusions on the organisation’s alignment with ISO 26000 guidance.

Our Approach

A reliable methodology for ISO 26000 assessment

Step 1 – Scoping & context review

Define assessment scope, entities, geographies, and priority topics, considering size, sector, and stakeholder expectations.

Step 2 – Document review & gap analysis

Analyse policies, procedures, risk assessments, codes of conduct, and disclosures against ISO 26000 guidance to identify strengths and gaps.

Step 3 – Interviews & stakeholder evidence

Conduct interviews and sample reviews (and, where relevant, site visits) to understand implementation and gather evidence of practice.

Step 4 – Evaluation & improvement planning

Evaluate alignment with ISO 26000 principles and core subjects, and highlight good practices, weaknesses, and improvement opportunities.

Step 5 – Statement of Conformity

Issue an independent Statement of Conformity summarising scope, methodology, and conclusions on the organisation’s alignment with ISO 26000 guidance.

INDUSTRIES DRIVING SUSTAINABLE TRANSFORMATION

Empowering responsible organisations across industries

ISO 26000 can be applied to all types of organisations and is particularly valuable where stakeholder expectations on social responsibility are high.

Manufacturing & industrials

Strengthen governance, labour practices, and community engagement across complex value chains.

Financial services

Embed social responsibility in lending, investment, stewardship, and ESG risk management.

Energy & natural resources

Address human rights, environmental impacts, and community relations in high‑impact projects.

Consumer goods & retail

Improve supply‑chain practices, fair marketing, and consumer protection.

Technology & IT services

Align data ethics, AI governance, and labour practices with social responsibility expectations.

Public sector & NGOs

Demonstrate accountability, inclusiveness, and sustainable development contributions.

Benefits of ISO 26000 Assessment

Build trust, strengthen social performance

Independent ISO 26000 assessment and a Statement of Conformity enhance the credibility of an organisation’s social responsibility commitments.

Clear evidence of alignment with recognised social responsibility guidance builds confidence with investors, customers, employees, and communities.
Structured analysis helps identify human‑rights, labour, governance, and community‑related risks and improvement areas.
Findings inform ESG strategy, due‑diligence processes, and sustainability reporting frameworks such as GRI or BRSR.
Assessment reinforces alignment with international norms of behaviour and supports progress toward the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

Download Our ISO 26000 Training Brochure

ISO 26000 Social Responsibility Lead Implementer Training

IRClass – IRQS offers ISO 26000 Lead Implementer Training to help leadership, ESG, and CSR teams implement social responsibility principles across governance and operations. The programme covers stakeholder mapping, human-rights due diligence, responsible supply-chain practices, and alignment with global frameworks such as the UN Global Compact and SDGs.

Participants gain practical skills to embed social responsibility and support credible ESG communication through independent assessment and Statements of Conformity.

WHY CHOOSE IRClass – IRQS?

Your trusted partner for ISO 14067 assurance

01

30+ years of assurance expertise

02

12,000+ clients across sectors

03

280+ auditors and technical experts

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600+ global professionals

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110,000+ professionals trained

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40+ offices worldwide

Frequently Asked Questions

Your ISO 26000 social responsibility questions—answered

ISO 26000 is a guidance standard and is not designed for formal certification; it does not contain auditable requirements like management‑system standards.

A Statement of Conformity is an independent attestation describing how an organisation’s practices have been assessed against ISO 26000 guidance and the degree of alignment observed. It is a third‑party conformity assessment output, not an ISO‑issued certificate.

Reviews usually cover governance, human rights, labour practices, environmental responsibility, fair operating practices, consumer issues, and community involvement and development, along with stakeholder engagement and reporting.

ISO 26000 provides the underlying principles and topics for social responsibility that complement ESG and sustainability frameworks such as GRI, BRSR, and the UN SDGs.

Independent assessment increases the credibility of social responsibility claims, supports continuous improvement, and provides stakeholders with confidence that the organisation’s practices have been evaluated against recognised international guidance.

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ISO 26000 – Social Responsibility Independent Assessment &
Statement of Conformity

ISO 26000 Social Responsibility and Governance