Commerce and Industry minister, Chief Achike Udenwa, applauded, Thursday, the framework on social responsibility initiative, known as ISO 26000 standard on Social Responsibility (SR), due to be concluded in 2010.

The minister observed that the ISO 26000 inherently possessed unrivalled credential of developing harmonized international agreements based upon double level of consensus among individual stakeholders and countries.

Making this commendation while presenting his keynote address at the 2-day (19 - 20 November, 2009) national workshop organised by the National Mirror Committee on ISO26000 Guidance Standard on Social Responsibility, held at Nicon Luxury Hotel, Abuja, Udenwa also said that the ISO contained guidelines capable of distilling, worldwide, relevant understanding of  what social responsibility was as well as what organisations required to operate in a socially responsible way.

Udenwa who pointed out that in the past, corporations had laid claims to the practice of social responsibility, only to embark on highly publicized acts of philanthropy to the utter neglect of other important areas of social responsibly, reiterated: "Indeed, there are several high-level declarations of principle relating to SR, including many individuals SR programmes and initiatives. But the ISO 26000 standard on social responsibility is exceptional, due mainly to the fact that ISO has the unequal credential of developing harmonized international agreements based on double levels of consensus among stakeholders and countries.

“Corporate organisations practised a form of social responsibility, involving issues of organizational governance, human rights, labour practices, the environment, consume issues, and community involvement and development. “Udenwa who was represented on the occasion by Mr. Chris Mbamalu, said that the ISO 26000 draws on best practices by existing public and private sector initiatives, and at the same time, it is consistent with relevant declarations and conventions by the United Nations and its constituents, like the International Labour Organisation.

Earlier, Director-General, Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), Dr. John Akanya, said that the appreciation of SR standard has taken into consideration societal, environmental, legal and organizational diversity, as well as differences in economic conditions, while observing international norms behaviour, adding, however, that "It is not a management system and like the ISO 9000 and 14000 neither is it for certification, regulation or contractual use. It is rather a guidance standard."

He said the National Mirror Committee coordinated input into the interventional process, adding that it was to "Mirror" the ISO working group on Social Responsibility at the national level.

Meanwhile, presenting the address of welcome, the chairman, National Mirror Committee on Social Responsibility, Mrs. Ify Umenyi, said since the inception of the committee, its members had been actively involved in the formulation process of the ISO 26000.

Umenyi who is also the director general of Consumer Protection Council (CPC) equally said that the committee worked round the clock, participating "in four different African Regional meetings held on the standard in Kenya (twice), Malawi and Tanzania, with a view to increasing African participation in its development”.