Welcome to International NGO Network on ISO!

Why ISO? ISO Already Effects Environment ISO Moving Rapidly Into New Areas Why ISO Needs Broader Stakeholder Input INNI Online Update ISO Frequently Asked Questions New!| Pacific Institute Releases Report That Surveys ISO’s International Standards Development Process

Why ISO?

Yet ISO's transformation from creating technical engineering standards to developing standards related to environmental and social policy has gone largely unnoticed by public interest groups and non-governmental organizations (NGOs). Like the World Trade Organization (WTO), the rules established by ISO will have a major impact on national and local environmental issues - from the environmental management standards deployed by major multinational corporations to eco-labeling, water management, global warming and corporate social responsibility.

It is our view that ISO's move into these new areas of standardization can only be addressed by a more informed and coordinated response from members of the environmental community and other affected stakeholder groups.

The goal of the International NGO Network on ISO (INNI) is to ensure that any ISO-created environmental standards serve the public interest and protect our environment. We aim to do this by providing timely information on the activities of ISO to network organizations so that they can activate their members, provide guidance to decision-makers, and shape public opinion.

To download our INNI fact sheet (480 KB Adobe PDF), click here. To learn more about ISO activities in specific topic areas, use the links at the top of this page.

To join INNI, please send an email with your name, title, organization name and a description of your areas of interest to inni@ pacinst.org.

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ISO Already Affects Environment

Already, ISO standards such as ISO 14000, which govern organizations' environmental management practices, are being widely used by governments around the world. In Europe, for example, the ISO 14001 environmental management system standard has become the centerpiece of the newest version of the voluntary Eco-Management and Audit Scheme (EMAS2).

Other ISO standards have already caused controversy in countries where they are inconsistent with existing consumer protection laws and/or weaken initiatives led by NGOs. The ISO eco-labeling standard, ISO 14021, has clashed with certain aspects of national consumer protection laws, including the U.S. Federal Trade Commission's Green Guidelines.

Another example: the Technical Committee 207 report on forestry management can be used by companies in conjunction with ISO 14001 in lieu of the more rigorous - and credible from an NGO perspective - Forest Stewardship Council certification. (ISO's technical committees (TCs) do the actual work of creating new standards and TC 207 is the body responsible for the ISO 14000 environmental management standards.)

Not only can ISO's standards be weaker than competing standards created by NGOs, they are potentially far more influential: The World Trade Organization specifically recognizes ISO standards as the world's "trade-legal" standards, thus any new standards or norms created within its technical committees have the potential to impact domestic policies and regulation.

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ISO Moving Rapidly Into New Areas

ISO's move into important areas of environmental public policy has been as rapid as it has been diverse. In June 2002, TC 207 approved a proposal to begin new work in the area of greenhouse gas emissions accounting and reporting. Many believe that ISO's new standards on greenhouse gas measurement will directly advance implementation of the Kyoto Agreement on Climate Change. But these standards could also conflict with guidance created by environmental NGOs, like the World Resources Institute/World Business Council on Sustainable Development greenhouse gas protocol.

Also in June 2002, ISO's committee on consumer policy (COPOLCO) passed a resolution recommending that ISO consider new standards work in the area of corporate social responsibility. These standards might include guidance on the creation of corporate responsibility policies, processes for stakeholder engagement, and measurement and reporting of corporate responsibility practices.

In late 2001, ISO made a foray into the critical area of water resource management with the creation of a new Technical Committee, TC 224. The new committee was proposed by the French standards body, AFNOR, and has been tasked with the "standardization of service activities relating to drinking water supply and sewerage." This is significant because two French corporations - Vivendi and Suez - dominate the international water management services sector, with water projects in 120 countries and with each company providing water to an estimated 100 million people. According to local U.S. water agencies, which voted against French proposal, standardization in this area will accelerate a push toward global water privatization. The NGO community in America is also concerned about the impact of these standards on trade and democracy.

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Why ISO Needs Broader Stakeholder Input

It is uncertain how far ISO will go in expanding the scope of its work, but its ambitions are high. In describing its strategic direction for 2005-2010, ISO states that its standards can serve "products and services that enter into world trade and that impact on the health, safety, environment and social progress of mankind." It is certain that the organization is expanding its scope far beyond its traditional focus on manufacturing and technical standards.

ISO's move into the policy realm, however, has not been accompanied by a parallel shift in the representation of important stakeholders within ISO. Because its initial role was to develop technical standards to benefit industry, ISO today still is an institution that is disproportionately represented by business. At the same time, due to the technical complexity and historically low public profile of ISO, many groups that have a direct stake in ISO's new work are unaware of the organization and its increasing impact on environmental and social policy. The combination of the shifting content of standards and the lack of balanced representation is cause for action.

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INNI Online Bulletin

INNI bulletins are provided by a Pacific Institute-managed email list. To join the distribution list, please send a short description of your interest areas, along with your name, title and organization to inni @ pacinst.org.

INNI Bulletin #14 [5.16.2007]
INNI Bulletin #13 [1.25.2007]
INNI Bulletin #12 [8.2.2006]
INNI Bulletin #11 [3.7.2006]
INNI Bulletin #10 [10.17.2005]
INNI Bulletin #9 [7.21.2005]
INNI Bulletin #8 [3.25.2005]
INNI Bulletin #7 [11.23.2004]
INNI Bulletin #6 [08.19.2004]
INNI Bulletin #5 [03.26.2004]
INNI Bulletin #4 [11.24.2003]
INNI Bulletin #3 [8.5.2003]
INNI Bulletin #2 [4.29.2003]
INNI Bulletin #1 [10.30.2002]