ISO 53001 Certification

The launch of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals in 2015 was a landmark for sustainable development. In a rare moment of global collaboration and partnership, 193 countries from around the globe rallied behind 17 shared goals, covering the social, economic and environmental aspects of sustainable development.

Since then, thousands of companies and organizations around the globe have aligned their sustainability strategy with the SDGs. The SDGs have also become an important frame of reference for investors and the finance sector, in order to fund the transition to a more sustainable economy and to assess the ESG performance of companies. 

In spite of this overwhelming support, all actors will need to accelerate their efforts if we are to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030. One crucial element is the way we integrate sustainability and the SDGs into management decision-making, ensuring that our actions focus on material issues and on initiatives with actual and measurable impacts.

This is exactly the gap that ISO/UNDP 53001 seeks to close: for the first time since the launch of the SDGs in 2015, companies now have an international standard that outlines an effective and impactful management system approach.

A management system for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGMS) is the structured approach of an organization to establish policies and objectives in relation to the SDGs, as well as the processes to achieve those objectives. ISO 53001 describes how companies can implement an effective management system to contribute to the achievement of the relevant SDGs.

Organizations who implement an SDG management system benefit in the following ways:

• Implementing a management system for the UN SDGs will help shift an organization from SDG alignment to SDG action and optimization, driving actual improvement.
• A management system for the SDGs helps organizations identify risks and opportunities related to sustainable development, and manage them in a structured and proactive manner.
• All elements of the management system are focused on one purpose: improving the performance towards the SDG goals, and thereby ESG performance overall
• Implementation of a management system that considers the Sustainable Development Goals builds an excellent foundation for sustainability reporting, as it provides the management framework for setting objectives and tracking the progress. A sustainability report can only be as good as the underlying performance, and this standard helps organizations improve their ESG performance.
• Because an SDG management system focuses on positive and negative impacts, it encourages organizations to explore new business models and new ways of working, thereby accelerating innovation.

Organizations who also obtain third-party certification of their management system to ISO 53001 can expect additional benefits:

• Certification to ISO 53001 serves as credible evidence that an organization is working towards the SDGs in a structured and effective manner
• Reputation: Many companies have communicated on the SDGs without taking effective action (“SDG-washing”). Obtaining the ISO 53001 certificate is a clear sign towards stakeholders of a company’s commitment to meaningful action. This includes potential customers and investors, but also impacted communities themselves.
• Employee wellbeing: Companies that take credible action on the SDGs benefit from a higher sense of purpose among employees, leading to higher motivation and a higher level of identification with the employer. This, in turn, places companies in a better position to attract new talent.
• The preparation process and the audits will provide further insight into the effectiveness of the management system, driving further improvement.
• Certification typically has a positive effect on ESG ratings and evaluations, leading to better scores and easier access to capital.

ISO 53001 is applicable to organizations of all types and sizes, both private and public, and for all industry sectors. Certification is especially relevant for organizations that have (potentially) significant impacts on our ability to achieve the SDGs. This includes, for example, companies with a large environmental footprint, companies in carbon-intensive industries, companies with significant land use in their value chain, and companies with significant risks of human rights violations in their supply chain.

It is important to know that ISO 53001 does not require organizations to contribute to each one of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals. Rather, ISO 53001 enables organizations to identify which SDGs are the most relevant for them, and set their objectives accordingly. 

Many organizations already have a management system that touches upon topics covered by the UN Sustainable Development Goals. For example, companies may already have an environmental management system based upon ISO 14001, or an occupational health and safety management system aligned with ISO 45001. ISO 53001 is not intended as a replacement, but as a basis for a holistic and integrated management system.

In order to enable an integrated management system, ISO 53001 follows the ISO Harmonized Structure (HS). Thanks to the harmonized structure, companies that already have a certified management system (e.g. quality, environment, OHS, information security, …) will find it easy to integrate the requirements of ISO 53001.

While 2030 marks the target year for achieving the 17 SDGs, it is inevitable that significant progress will remain unfinished in areas like poverty eradication, climate action, and inequality. After 2030, the international community, through the United Nations, is expected to adopt a new set of goals or extend the existing framework, incorporating lessons learned from the SDGs and adapting to future priorities such as technological advancements, geopolitical shifts, and worsening environmental crises. ISO 53001 has been designed in such a way as to be compatible with the SDGs and any post-2030 agenda for sustainable development.

Timeline for the Publication of ISO 53001

ISO 53001 is currently still under development and is referenced as ISO/UNDP 53001. Publication of the final version is expected in the first half of 2026. However, the accompanying guidance document ISO/UNDP PAS 53002:2024 has already been published and is available free of charge. Early adopters can use the guidance to begin the implementation of an SDG management system. 

The cost of ISO 53001 certification depends on a number of factors. For example, it plays an important role whether a certified management system already exists. In addition, the size of your company and the complexity of its operations have an influence on the duration of the audit and thus on the total cost. We will be happy to make you an individual offer for your company or organization without obligation.

• Global network of management system auditors
• Customer-focused and solution-oriented approach
• Deep understanding of ESG and sustainable development as business-critical elements
• Seamless integration with certification of ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 45001 and other management system standards