Standards need women. Diversity is a key element for the development of standards.
Under the ISO sustainability programme, we value and encourage gender diversity across the ISO system.
Gender equality means that everyone enjoys the same rights and opportunities. In 2022, ISO launched its second ISO Gender Action Plan (2022-2025) defining five priority outcomes critical for advancing gender equality in standardization.
The ISO/IEC Joint Strategic Advisory Group on Gender Responsive Standards (ISO/IEC JSAG GRS) has developed a guidance on GRS for technical work to ensure that international standards provide equal benefit to all different genders, and for technical committees to determine the extent of potential gender implications.
Download the Guidance on Gender Responsive Standards (English, French, Russian, Spanish)
Download the Assessment form (English, French, Russian, Spanish)
It will involve:
- Data collection and analyses
- Balanced participation and representation in the technical work
- Gender-responsive deliverables
- Gender equality within the ISO system
- Contribution of ISO/CS towards supporting gender within the ISO system
- Capacity building for members on gender in standardization
This comes after the successful completion of the first Action Plan (2019-2021) that set out initiatives and established ambitious goals towards supporting gender equality in standardization.
We are committed to achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 5 ( SDG 5) as a precondition to gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls. To demonstrate our commitment, we signed the UNECE’s Declaration on Gender Responsive Standards to support a more gender-balanced and inclusive standards development process and ensure standards that are truly gender-responsive.
Gender equality by numbers
Check out the global data on topics related to gender representation in standards development.
ISO’s Gender Action Plan supports the advancement of inclusivity and diversity contained in the ISO Strategy 2030.
Our members actively participate in the Plan’s successful implementation through the Gender Focal Point Network. This forum facilitates knowledge sharing and best-practice exchange among all our national standards bodies around the world.
ISO member gender action plans
Find Action Plans from other ISO members to see what they are doing towards SDG 5 and how you can contribute!
| NSB | Country | Original Doc | Other language Doc |
|---|---|---|---|
| BIS | India |
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| BSI | UK | ||
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SABS |
South Africa | ||
| RSB | Rwanda | ||
| SCC | Canada |
Stratégie de normalisation adaptée aux genres 2019-2021 (Français) |
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| BSMD | Bahrain | ||
| ICONTEC | Colombia | ||
| PSI | Palestine | ||
| SA | Australia | ||
| SIS | Sweden | ||
| INACAL | Peru |
Standards that support SDG 5
ISO and its members are working hard to contribute to SDG 5 and women’s empowerment. Here, you can find ISO standards and national standards that support SDG 5. This list is continually being updated.
Standards webpage - Scope of work
| NSB | country | Standard | title | further information |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| INDOCAL | Dominican Republic |
NORDOM 775 |
Management system for gender equality |
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| INN | Chile |
NCh 3262 |
Management system for gender equality and reconciliation of work, family and personal life in organizations |
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| IST | Iceland | IST 85 | The equal pay standard | |
| SABS | South Africa |
SANS 511:2011 |
Women’s workwear |
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| SABS | South Africa |
SANS 1812 |
Manufacture of washable, reusable sanitary towels |
Covers the requirements and test methods for washable, reusable sanitary towels for external use. Made from fabric, four sizes with different absorbency volume. |
| SABS | South Africa |
SANS 434 |
General protective clothing |
Workwear during pregnancy is specialized and made to measurements when required. |
| BIS | India |
IS 16994 |
Footwear for men and women for municipal scavenging work |
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| BSI | United Kingdom |
BS 76005 |
Valuing people through diversity and inclusion – Code of practice for organizations |
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| BSI | United Kingdom | BS 30416 |
Menstrual and menopausal health in the workplace - Guide |
Menstrual and menopausal health in the workplace |
| INTECO | Costa Rica |
INTE G38:2015 |
Management system for gender equality in the workplace |
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| SCC | Canada |
CSA Standards B701-17 |
Carer-inclusive and accommodating organizations |
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| OSN | El Salvador |
NTS 03-116-01:2021 |
Gender equality management system |
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| ABNT | Brazil |
ABNT NBR 16001 |
Social responsibility – Management systems – Requirements |
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| IBNORCA | Bolivia |
NB 11008:2018 |
Management system for gender equality in the workplace |
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| DGN | Mexico |
NMX-R-025-SCFI-2015 |
Labour equality and non-discrimination |
NMX R 025 SCFI 2015 on labour equality and non-discrimination | National Institute of Women |
| DS | Denmark | DS 5001 |
Equality and diversity |
DS 5001 Equality and diversity |
ISO standards
| Standard | title | List on iso.org |
|---|---|---|
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ISO 26000 |
Guidance on social responsibility |
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ISO 30500 |
Non-sewered sanitation systems – Prefabricated integrated treatment units – General safety and performance requirements for design and testing |
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ISO 25551 |
Ageing societies – General requirements and guidelines for an age-inclusive workforce |
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ISO 18091 |
Quality management systems – Guidelines for the application of ISO 9001 in local government |
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IWA 34 |
Women’s entrepreneurship – Key definitions and general criteria |
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ISO 30415 |
Human resource management – Diversity and inclusion |
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ISO/PC 337 |
Guidelines for the promotion and implementation of gender equality |
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ISO/TC 338 |
Menstrual Products |
News and Materials
Here, you can access materials to help share the importance of SDG 5 and standards.
MATERIALS
More materials for ISO members (only) is available here: ISO Connect
