© ISO 2007 - all rights reserved
63 those organizations. Within the supply chain, degrees of control and impact may be related to the size,
2674 complexity and types of organizations in the supply chain, as well as an organization’s competitive situation
2675 and the number of organizations within the supply chain.
2676 The evaluation of information on the context can include:
2677
Understanding the trends concerning the significant [material] issues of social responsibility; 2678
Identifying what actions have already been taken and progress made by an organization and
2679 its supply chain in addressing the significant [material] issues of social responsibility;
2680
Identifying progress on any existing goals of social responsibility; and 2681
Analyzing the potential opportunities, risks and challenges posed by the significant [material]
2682 issues of social responsibility over the short and long term.
2683 Several questions can be helpful in evaluating the context:
2684
Which operational activities are contravening international laws, treaties, protocols or conventions? 2685
Which processes, procedures, activities, actions or existing socially responsible activities of an
2686 organization are not in keeping with, or even in conflict with, an organization’s strategy and objectives
2687 for social responsibility?
2688
Which elements of an organization’s culture for example, operational values, norms, basic beliefs and 2689
convictions, are contributing to the realization of the strategy and commitment for social responsibility? 2690
Conversely, which of these are not contributing and need to be changed? 2691
7.2.4 Understanding stakeholder concerns 2692
An organization should understand the concerns of its [key] stakeholders relative to the significant [material] 2693
issues of social responsibility within its social responsibility boundaries. These concerns can be identified 2694
through a stakeholder identification and engagement process see Clause 7.3. 2695
2696
Box 21 Analyzing the boundaries of social responsibility
2697
Below are three examples showing how a large food processing company, a small auto repair shop and a research-
2698
orientated NGO might each analyze its boundaries of social responsibility. This analysis identifies examples of issues of
2699
social responsibility to consider in setting boundaries before an organization seeks to set goals and integrate social
2700
responsibility into its activities, goods and services.
2701
Large food processing company
2702
The entities that an organization can control or reasonably influence
Examples of significant [material] impacts of social responsibility [actual and potential] generated by those
entities
The farmers, farm co-operative organizations and agricultural corporations supplying farm produce used
in the food products, where at least 20 percent of their production or 2 million in sales is purchased by the
company Environmentally sustainable farming issues for example,
irrigation water and pesticide use, water contamination, erosion control, deforestation of lands and preservation of
wildlife habitat; socially sustainable farming issues for example, labour wages and practices, farm safety and
genetically modified crops and animals.
Fully owned subsidiaries, joint ventures with ownership of at least 35 by the company
Issues of social responsibility similar to those of the company
Major distributors Energy consumption [greenhouse gas] worker health and
safety, packaging materials and waste Major suppliers of processing equipment used in the
company’s factories Operator safety, energy efficiency, ergonomics, waste
minimization and diversity
64
© ISO 2007 - all rights reserved
Box 21, continued
Major suppliers of packaging and other materials used in the goods
Materials used and waste throughout the life cycle, elimination of hazardous ingredients, ergonomics, re-use
and recyclability of materials and employee diversity
Maintenance, service and construction contractors Waste prevention, avoidance of hazardous materials, green
building practices, waste recycling and appropriate disposal, worker health and safety, diversity and fair labour practices
The issues of social responsibility that are or may be significant for [material to] an organization’s own activities, goods
2703
and services: food nutrition, obesity concerns, labelling on ingredients and health effects, consumer safety,
2704
minimization of packaging, energy usegreenhouse gases, emission discharge of harmful pollutants, waste generation,
2705
water usage, worker privacy, health and safety, diversity, development and fair labour practices, collective bargaining,
2706
crisis management concerning social responsibility issues, stakeholder communications, philanthropy, employee
2707
participation in voluntary community social responsibility activities, fair operating, marketing and advertising practices,
2708
after-supply services and dispute resolution and redress, data-protection and privacy.
2709 2710
Small auto repair shop
2711
The entities that an organization can control or reasonably influence
Examples of significant [material] impacts of social responsibility [actual and potential] generated by those
entities
Maintenance and service contractors Safety, waste reduction, diversity
The issues of social responsibility that are or may be significant for [material to] an organization’s own activities, goods
2712
and services: customer safety, minimizing use of hazardous solvents, recycling solvents and hand rags, recycling of
2713
used tires and other components, worker health and safety, diversity, development and working conditions,
2714
participation in and contribution to community affairs.
2715 2716
Research-oriented NGO
2717
The entities that an organization can control or reasonably influence
Examples of significant [material] impacts of social responsibility [actual and potential] generated by those
entities
Research contractors, consultants Employee diversity, fair labour practices, worker health and
safety, minimizing environmental impacts associated with goods and services, protection of confidentialprivate
information, etc.
The issues of social responsibility that are or may be significant for [material to] an organization’s own activities, goods
2718
and services: service mission consistent with social responsibility, use of recycled paper, soy inks, procurement of
2719
energy-efficient computers, reduction of office energy use, worker health and safety, diversity, development, and fair
2720
labour practices, use of green hotels for conferences, privacy, safety in public rallies.
2721 2722
7.3 Working with stakeholders 2723
