After 5 years in negotiation and unprecedented international mobilization - over 500 experts from 99 countries plus international organizations including the ILO and the OECD, ISO 26000, Guidance on social responsibility, was officially published on 1 November by the International Organization for Standardization.
It aims to be a first step in helping all types of organization in both the public and private sectors to consider implementing ISO 26000 as a way to achieve the benefits of operating in a socially responsible manner.
ISO 26000 is not a management system standard. It is not intended or appropriate for certification purposes or regulatory or contractual use.

Social Accountability 8000 (SA8000) has been developed by Social Accountability International (SAI), known until recently as the Council on Economic Priorities Accreditation Agency.
SA8000 is promoted as a voluntary, universal standard for companies interested in auditing and certifying labour practices in their facilities and those of their suppliers and vendors. It is designed for independent third party certification.
SA8000 is based on the principles of international human rights norms as described in International Labour Organisation conventions, the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. It measures the performance of companies in eight key areas: child labour, forced labour, health and safety, free association and collective bargaining, discrimination, disciplinary practices, working hours and compensation. SA8000 also provides for a social accountability management system to demonstrate ongoing conformance with the standard.

AccountAbility's AA1000 series are principles-based standards to help organisations become more accountable, responsible and sustainable. They address issues affecting governance, business models and organizational strategy, as well as providing operational guidance on sustainability assurance and stakeholder engagement. The AA1000 standards are designed for the integrated thinking required by the low carbon and green economy, and support integrated reporting and assurance.
The standards are developed through a multi-stakeholder consultation process which ensures they are written for those they impact, not just those who may gain from them. They are used by a broad spectrum of organisations -- multinational businesses, small and medium enterprises, governments and civil societies.

This short publication provides a high-level overview of the key linkages between the UN Global Compact's Ten Principles and the core subjects of social responsibility defined by
ISO 26000 (human rights, labour practices, the environment, fair operating practices, consumer issues, community involvement).
While not an exhaustive review of the numerous areas of alignment between the two initiatives, this publication shows that there is clear consistency - and that all UN Global Compact Principles are included in ISO 26000.

ISO 14063:2006 gives guidance to an organization on general principles, policy, strategy and activities relating to both internal and external environmental communication. It is applicable to all organizations.