ISO 26000 and supply chains—On the diffusion of the social responsibility standard

Abstract

The social responsibility (SR) agenda is gaining its momentum in an increasing number of organizations and global supply chains. Following this market demand, the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) has initiated development of ISO 26000 international standard on SR. However, questions of why, under what circumstances and which organizations and supply chains will adopt ISO 26000 are yet to be answered. In this paper, we determine a set of propositions about diffusion of ISO 26000 and hence SR practices amongst business organizations. Propositions are made in relation to SR orientation of organizations/networks, differences in regulatory systems, and the role of governments and national environments. Overall, this paper provides an insight into the arena of SR initiative by ISO and sets the path for the future empirical investigation in this emerging and important area.