Sustainability systems (such as voluntary sustainability standard and certification schemes) are increasing their efforts to advance gender equality, recognising its importance both as a fundamental human right and as a means to achieving other aspects of sustainability. This toolkit aims to support these systems to advance their thinking and action on gender equality by compiling curated resources and practical case studies.

This file provides a high-level summary of the differences between the ISEAL Code of Good Practice for Sustainability Systems v1.1, and the ISEAL Impacts, Standard-Setting, and Assurance Codes of Good Practice (v2, v6, and v2, respectively). It also highlights essential practices extracted from the ISEAL Sustainability Claims Good Practice Guide.

This file provides a high-level summary of the differences between the ISEAL Code of Good Practice for Sustainability Systems v1.0, and the ISEAL Impacts, Standard-Setting, and Assurance Codes of Good Practice (v2, v6, and v2, respectively). It also highlights essential practices extracted from the ISEAL Sustainability Claims Good Practice Guide. 

This is the latest version (version 4, December 2015) of the procedure describing the development and revision process for ISEAL's Codes of Good Practice.

Find out more about the requirements that ISEAL Community Members need to fulfil to reach Code Compliant status.

This file provides an overview of changes between each draft of the ISEAL Code of Good Practice for Sustainability Systems. It also includes the corresponding requirements from the ISEAL Assurance, Impacts, and Standard-Setting Code of Good Practice, and ISEAL Sustainability Claims Good Practice Guide.

This document sets out what our Code Compliant status recognises for our Community Members.

This document provides an overview of the development of the ISEAL Code of Good Practice for Sustainability Systems (the ISEAL Code). It includes a summary of the consultations on the first and second drafts of the ISEAL Code, and an overview of key changes from the existing Codes of Good Practice. We would like to thank everyone who provided feedback on the drafts, and to those who supported the consultations by engaging with events and sharing information about the consultations with colleagues and stakeholders.

The latest version of ISEAL Code of Conduct at events. 

Interpretation of the clause 6.4.3 on recognition of existing standards.

Applicants to ISEAL Community Membership agree to abide by the Community Code of Conduct.

ISEAL’s revised Code of Good Practice aims to support sustainability systems to achieve the impact they want – and we want to hear what you think.

In 2019, the ISEAL Innovations Fund awarded a grant to Bonsucro to collaboratively develop and test methodologies to help financial service providers improve how they assess their agricultural clients’ sustainability performance, to enable access to better financing opportunities for farmers who produce sustainably. Project partners included the Better Cotton Initiative, and the Alliance for Water Stewardship (AWS).

In 2019, ISEAL launched a review of both the Impacts Code and Standard-Setting Code. The results of the review will inform the revision of the codes in 2020. This document contains information about the review objectives, process and opportunities for involvement.

The recently released UN 2020 Sustainable Development Goals Report makes clear that there is a long way to go before the global goals are achieved. Although a sobering read, it does note a silver lining in that the pandemic is a ‘wake-up call for governments and businesses to formulate the kinds of transitions needed to build a healthier, more resilient and more sustainable world’. 

ISEAL Community Members can claim to be ISEAL Code Compliant only when they have demonstrated adherence to the baseline and improvement criteria of each of ISEAL’s Codes of Good Practice in accordance with the processes and definitions in this procedure.

In 2019, ISEAL carried out a review of the Standard-Setting and Impacts Codes. Through the review, ISEAL gathered information regarding the usability of the Codes, their effectiveness in delivering against their objectives, as well as their scope and objectives. This document details the activities carried out as part of the review and the findings.

This document contains a summary of the core operating practices that voluntary sustainability systems should have in place to be considered credible.

Many sustainability systems are testing and implementing different strategies to improve their sustainability performance and to  become more effective in tackling some of the world's most pressing issues. It is becoming clear that there is added value in adopting strategies that address the wider system. These systemic strategies can help organisations have a lasting impact within their context.