This guide lays out good practices for developing and implementing benchmarks of voluntary sustainability systems (VSS). This is the second version of the guide, published in March 2025 following public consultation. It is aligned with the ISEAL Credibility Principles (v2) and the ISEAL Code of Good Practice for Sustainability Systems (‘the ISEAL Code’).  

The recommendations in this guide are framed around key decisions to be made in each of the three phases of the development process. The guide does not prescribe how a benchmark should be structured or the assessment criteria to be included but shares considerations to support those decisions.

Read more about ISEAL's work supporting good practices for credible benchmarking.