Common Core Indicators

The ISEAL Common Core Indicators are a common list of indicators that ISEAL community members track through their monitoring, evaluation and assurance systems. Data collected on these indicators can be used to analyse the scope of a sustainability system, monitor performance, and assess impact.

Using the common core indicators to support sustainability

The common core indicators are primarily for sustainability standards and similar systems. The indicators can be used to help align commonly monitored elements across sectors.

The ISEAL Impacts Code encourages organisations to try to align on indicators where possible, which can lead to the overall improvement of monitoring and evaluation systems. Alignment across sectors and jurisdictions can make the process of data collection more efficient and facilitate collaborative activities.

These indicators can also provide helpful references to other actors, such as companies and governments. Information consistently collected by sustainability standards and similar systems – particularly in relation to the sustainable development goals (SDGs) – can support organisations’ collaborative work with sustainability systems.

What are standards measuring so far?

Some indicators monitor the reach and characteristics of a sustainability system and some monitor the outcomes that result from their activities.

The common core indicators have been mapped against the SDG's and cover the following areas:

  • Certification and verification
  • Household and producer characteristics
  • Producer group characteristics
  • Location information
  • Farm characteristics
  • Capacity development
  • Producer group strengthening
  • Resilience and competitiveness
  • Production
  • Revenue from focus crop
  • Household and livelihoods
  • Participation and governance
  • Health and safety
  • Labour
  • Education
  • Water
  • Biodiversity
  • Resource management

Information on some indicators is not yet complete.

Login as an ISEAL community member to access the full list with detailed guidance on how to collect and report on these indicators.