ISEAL Alliance

Voluntary standards systems need to operate effectively to deliver on their stated social and environmental goals. All steps in the standards and certification process, including standard-setting, verification, impact assessment and governance, have a role to play in the effectiveness of the system as a whole.

ISEAL builds an understanding of good practices for standards systems and sets internationally applicable good practice guidance for the implementation of credible standards systems. These Codes of Good Practice are applied by leading standards systems and are an ISEAL membership requirement. All combined they are often referred to as Credibility Tools.

The Standard-Setting Code

Code of Good Practice for Setting Social and Environmental Standards

• Sets out requirements for the process by which standards are developed and revised and for the structure of a standard.
• This Code emphasises the importance of an open and transparent standard-setting process and broad and balanced stakeholder engagement in the development and decision-making around the standard.

The Impacts Code

Code of Good Practice for Assessing the Impacts of Social and Environmental Standards

• Sets out the process by which standards systems can provide evidence of their contributions to social and environmental impacts as well as learning about and improvingthe effectiveness of their system.
• This Code requires that standards systems understand the change that they are seeking to bring about and then measure their progress towards that change. This Code is currently in development.

The Verification Code

Code of Good Practice for Verifying Compliance with Social and Environmental Standards

• Sets out requirements for auditing, certification and accreditation bodies that support the credibility, accessibility and growth of these activities.
• This Code builds on existing good practice in verification to provide additional guidance specific to social and environmental standards systems. Development of this Code will begin in 2010.

These Credibility Tools are reviewed and revised on a regular basis. These reviews take into account evolving good practice as well as comments and feedback received. Your input on the content of any of the Codes or on the process by which the Codes are developed is welcome at any time.

Please submit comments to patrick [at] isealalliance [dot] org (Patrick Mallet), ISEAL Credibility Director.

The ISEAL Codes in Government and Business

ISEAL Codes of Good Practice are effective tools and screens for vetting the credibility of voluntary standards systems. Institutions and companies make reference to and use the Codes of Good Practice in a variety of ways to meet social and environmental guidelines for purchasing and policy. Recent references to the Code include:

• European Commission, Communication on Fair Trade (2009)
• United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) Recommendations of the conference “Making Sustainability Standards Work for Small-scale Farmers” (Pre-UNCTAD XII Event, 2008)
• European Parliament, Corporate Social Responsibility: Implementing the Partnership for Growth and Jobs (Resolution P6_TA(2007)0062, 2007)
• WWF/World Bank, Forest Certification Assessment Guide (2006)
• Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), Guidelines on Ecolabelling of Marine Fishery Products (2005)

Richard Howitt, MEP, Spokesperson for the European Parliament on Corporate Social Responsibility
“The ISEAL Alliance is a leading example of collaboration between labelling initiatives. Its members’ compliance with the ISEAL Code of Good Practice gives a clear sign to both governments and industry that these initiatives are the leaders in the field, backed by credible standards and capable of delivering genuine social and environmental change.”

Simon Zadek, Chief Executive, AccountAbility
“AccountAbility is hugely pleased that the ISEAL Code of Good Practice has been developed because it is our firm belief that good governance in tomorrow's standards institutions is the single most important thing in ensuring that the business community – and indeed the broader organisational community – gets sustainability right.”

Matthew Wenban-Smith, Director, OneWorldStandards Ltd
"The ISEAL Code of Good Practice incorporates and builds on the applicable ISO guidance, and ensures compatibility with the strictures of the World Trade Organization's agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade. For standard setters compliance with the Code of Good Practice ensures credible standards development processes. For standard users, it offers reassurance that the resulting standards will have the support of the major stakeholders".