Sustainability policy and regulation
ISEAL supports effective and impactful government sustainability policy and regulatory initiatives and advocates for a smart mix of voluntary and mandatory action to advance sustainability impacts. We track and analyse sustainability-focused policies, and work with policymakers to share credibility expertise, improve understanding and recognition of voluntary initiatives, and support effective policy implementation.
Governments are increasing sustainability action in response to demands for greater corporate accountability and heightened consumer awareness around urgent environmental and social concerns. Measures range from soft law, such as sustainability criteria in corporate reporting and disclosure, to hard law mandating supply chain due diligence on deforestation and forced labour. Anti-greenwashing laws are also rising to protect consumers from false and misleading claims.
Policy areas
ISEAL engages on key thematic policy files and topics that relate to sustainability systems’ work. We provide analysis, expertise and knowledge on credible practice and the role, use and uptake of sustainability systems in advancing policy goals.
We work on relevant due diligence legislation such as the EU’s Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD), Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), and Forced Labour Regulation (FLR). We analyse policy text to understand implications for voluntary initiatives and business, submit technical positions and inputs into policymaking, and participate in relevant policy spaces to share our expertise on credibility and encourage the uptake and recognition of credible voluntary initiatives.
We bring relevant expertise from our work on systems effectiveness and credible claims to understand and influence claims policies and legislation. Key focus files are the EU’s Green Claims Directive (GCD) and Empowering Consumers for the Green Transition (ECD), and emerging claims policies from key jurisdictions.
Trade policy increasingly references sustainability systems to achieve sustainability goals. We encourage using our credibility tools in trade policy design and implementation, focusing on regional and bilateral agreements like free trade agreements (FTAs) and global trade frameworks like World Trade Organization (WTO) agreements. Our work builds capacity and engagement with trade policy teams in key developing countries, supporting sustainability through trade.
Resources for policymakers
ISEAL is a trusted leader with experience in strengthening sustainability systems, defining credible practices for them, and guiding business and government recognition of such systems. Our guidance and resources help policymakers design and implement effective sustainability policy.
Sustainability systems are market-based tools addressing today’s most pressing social and environmental challenges. We provide resources to support the development and use of credible, effective sustainability systems. Our Credibility Principles provide the foundation, while the ISEAL Code defines technical requirements for developing and improving systems. Access our guidance and resources to learn more about the credible practices that should underpin sustainability action.
Sustainability benchmarks compare sustainability schemes and tools to assess their robustness and performance. With the rapid growth of market-based tools, governments and businesses are increasingly benchmarking voluntary schemes and tools to inform their decisions. ISEAL’s benchmarking guidance outlines good practices for developing and implementing benchmarks of sustainability systems and tools.
Credible sustainability systems must ultimately drive meaningful and relevant impact. How do we know they are achieving this? Policymakers need access to credible evidence of sustainability systems’ impact to write effective policies that reference such schemes, build public knowledge, respond to queries, and support their sustainability goals in public procurement. ISEAL helps sustainability systems establish robust performance monitoring and measurement frameworks to report on impacts.