September 2011


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Standard on social responsibility

On 20 October 2011, at the School of Education, UWI, the Trinidad and Tobago Bureau of Standards (TTBS) will formally launch the local adoption of the Guidance standard on social responsibility (ISO 26000), thereby making it a national standard. The standard is intended to assist organizations in their efforts to operate in a socially responsible manner. An initiative of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), it provides harmonized, globally relevant guidance for private and public sector organizations on Social Responsibility.

ISO 26000 integrates international expertise on social responsibility and incorporates many of the principles and practices of numerous tools and instruments used to define Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). Specifically, the standard offers guidance on:

• Concepts, terms and definitions relating to social responsibility;
• The background, trends and characteristics of social responsibility;
• Principles and practices relating to social responsibility;
• Core subjects and issues relating to social responsibility;
• Integrating, implementing and promoting socially responsible behaviour throughout the organization and its sphere of influence;
• Identifying and engaging with stakeholders; and
• Communicating commitments and performance related to social responsibility.

Dr. Judith Gobin is the University’s representative on the National Mirror Committee for Social Responsibility.