Guidelines for contributing to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
Highlights from Day 4
Key moments from the ISO Annual Meeting 2024’s final day
Few minutes to read
General Assembly
The General Assembly convened for its annual gathering in the presence of ISO members and Principal Officers. This year’s discussions, including improvements to our governance and a business model adapted to changing circumstances, laid strong foundations on which to build the future success of our organization.
I salute the remarkable dedication and enthusiasm shown by all of you today and throughout the week. You have helped make this year’s Annual Meeting truly memorable and moved us closer to realizing our shared vision of making people’s lives easier, safer and better.
A key highlight was the election of new Council members and the next ISO President. Khaled Soufi, Chairman, Egyptian Organization for Standardization and Quality (EOS), will take up his position in 2026.
New ISO/UNDP guidelines for the SDGs just released
Yesterday, ISO and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) launched the first-ever international guidelines designed to help businesses and organizations advance their contributions to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This landmark document offers practical guidance for organizations of all sizes and sectors to systematically manage and optimize their impact on sustainable development.
Who can benefit?
Whether you’re a small business or a global enterprise, this practical resource provides a common approach for both public- and private-sector entities to align their strategies with the SDGs and document their progress.
How can you profit?
- Discover how your organization can move from SDG alignment to SDG action.
- Access practical insights for embedding sustainable development into your daily business.
- Assess which SDGs are important for you, identify targets, take actions and report on them.
- Create significant business opportunities, combining profitability with social and environmental benefits.
- Demonstrate accountability and comparability in your sustainability claims.
Power in partnerships
These guidelines mark the first step in the strategic partnership between ISO and UNDP, two organizations with a passion for making the SDGs a reality. As our collaboration evolves, it will not only address today’s most pressing challenges but also pave the way for ongoing progress beyond 2030.
The guidelines are flexible enough so [a] company can align to the regulatory context in which it is operating.
ISO and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) have unveiled the world’s first international guidelines to help businesses and organizations expedite their contributions to the UN Sustainable …
ISO/TC 309 honoured with LDE Award
At this year’s General Assembly, ISO proudly presented the Lawrence D. Eicher (LDE) Award to the experts of ISO/TC 309, the technical committee on governance of organizations. This accolade recognizes the committee’s dedication to fostering best practices and driving global collaboration in this critical field.
Leadership of ISO/TC 309 with ISO President Dr Sung Hwan Cho, ISO Secretary-General Sergio Mujica and Javier Garcia, ISO Vice-President (technical management)
The ISO committee has been instrumental in shaping frameworks that promote transparency, accountability and ethical practices in organizations worldwide, reinforcing the vital role of governance in today’s global landscape.
The governance of organizations is a critical factor in sustainable growth.
In the midst of challenges including technological disruption, societal transformation and environmental peril, good governance can help us navigate through to a brighter future.
Today, we stand in a world full of peril and potential in equal measure. Artificial intelligence (AI) has propelled us into a new era of technology and given rise to questions about what’s next.
That’s a wrap!
The ISO Annual Meeting 2024 concludes after a week of insightful discussions on advancing standards to address the world’s most pressing challenges.
Under the theme “Breaking boundaries”, this year’s event brought together an audience of over 10 000, in person and online, from more than 170 countries. Participants were challenged to “think outside the box” and harness diverse viewpoints to ensure lasting transformative change and a better future for all.
Hosted by ICONTEC, Colombia’s national standards body, the Annual Meeting showcased how International Standards can drive sustainable and inclusive growth, promote responsible AI, and shape the future of human capital. The event served as a powerful platform for engaging diverse voices across sectors, encouraging collaboration, and fostering innovative solutions that transcend geographic and industry boundaries.
I hope the energy and ideas stirred up by this week’s sessions linger long in your imaginations. That they inspire each one of us to break boundaries, defy conventions, embrace diverse viewpoints and harness the power of International Standards in order to shape a more sustainable, equitable and inclusive world.
As we reflect on the commitments made, we eagerly anticipate the opportunity to explore new frontiers at the ISO Annual Meeting 2025 in Rwanda next year.
We look forward to seeing you there!
Explore more highlights from the event:
Photo gallery
Dive into the event atmosphere and browse through the pictures from day 4.
ISO Annual Meeting 2024 Live
Catch up on all the sessions — access the videos on demand now.