#01 – ISO/UNDP Guidelines for Sustainable Development Goals - ISO/UNDP PAS 53002:2024

 

#01 – ISO/UNDP Guidelines for Sustainable Development Goals - ISO/UNDP PAS 53002:2024

 

In 2015, all United Nations Member States adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. This agenda provides a shared blueprint for peace and prosperity for all people and the planet.

 

Central to this agenda are the seventeen United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which call for urgent action by all countries. However, it is evident that governments alone cannot achieve these goals. The SDGs require collaborative efforts between governments, citizens, the public sector, civil society, and organizations, including not-for-profit entities and private-sector organizations.

 

ISO/UNDP PAS 53002:2024 is a joint document developed by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). It offers guidance on how organizations can:

(i) contribute to the SDGs, and
(ii) integrate sustainability into their operations and decision-making processes.

 

By applying these guidelines, organizations can ensure that:

 

·       They perform holistically and systematically,

·       Contribute effectively to the SDGs by optimizing impacts on stakeholders and specific SDG targets, and

·       Minimize negative impacts.

 

Implementing the guidelines from ISO/UNDP PAS 53002:2024 enables organizations to strengthen resilience and improve future performance.

 

It is important to note that ISO/UNDP PAS 53002:2024 is not a management system standard and does not establish the requirements of such a system. Organizations without a formal management system can also use this document. Meanwhile, those with a management system will find this document useful as its guidelines are compatible with ISO’s harmonized structure for management system standards.

 

Key areas of guidance provided by ISO/UNDP PAS 53002:2024 include:

 

·       Setting objectives and targets aligned with relevant SDG indicators and goals to maximize positive stakeholder impact and SDG contributions.

·       Engaging stakeholders to identify and prioritize both actual and potential impacts, whether positive or negative.

·       Collecting data on actual and expected impacts.

·       Generating options that foster innovation and support informed decision-making.

·       Making decisions that account for risk tolerance.

·       Understanding and managing trade-offs to maximize impact, contribute to the SDGs, and address stakeholder needs.

 

On 12 September 2024, during the ISO Annual Meeting in Cartagena de Indias, Colombia, the ISO/UNDP guidelines for contributing to the UN SDGs were officially released. This first publicly available document is expected to accelerate the response of organizations of all types and sizes toward achieving the SDGs.

 

More updates and write-ups will follow.

 

Regards,
Keshav Ram Singhal