The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) announced the IWA 48:2024 standard on 14 November 2024 at COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan. This new standard provides comprehensive guidance that facilitates the integration of environmental, social and governance (ESG) principles into organizations’ cultures, operations and decision-making processes.
✅ Core ESG Principles:
ESG maturity journey: IWA 48 offers a four-stage roadmap for ESG development:
This phased approach allows organizations to assess their current status and systematically move towards higher standards.
✅ Comprehensive ESG Guidance:
✅ Standardized Reporting & KPIs:
Clear and consistent metrics allow organizations to monitor their ESG progress and communicate transparently with stakeholders.
Benefits of IWA 48 for Organizations:
💼 Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs): Simplified ESG guidelines ensure easy adoption of the practice and help attract impact investors.
🌐 Multinational Corporations: Streamlining the cross-regional reporting process strengthens global alignment, accountability and brand reputation.
📈 For All Organizations: Improved risk management, operational efficiency, stakeholder trust and alignment with global sustainability goals.
A Unified Approach to the Future: IWA 48 promotes continuous improvement while reducing regulatory burdens, in line with well-established frameworks such as GRI, SASB and TCFD. Its flexible nature ensures its applicability across all sectors, geographical regions and industries and provides a universal tool for ESG integration.
Emphasizing stakeholder engagement and a progressive maturity approach, IWA 48 enables organizations to safely evolve their ESG practices – enabling a shift from compliance to value-driven leadership, creating long-term sustainability and impact.
You can access the standard for free here.
