What is ISO 37101?
The purpose of ISO 37101 is to help communities, including cities, implement a sustainable development strategy that addresses economic, social and environmental issues.
Obtaining ISO 37101 certification provides a long-term development strategy that respects the resources and needs of present and future generations.
ISO 37101 allows organizations to understand their initial position towards sustainable development and to highlight the points needed to intervene to develop new strategies to improve their organization from a sustainability perspective.
In what areas is ISO 37101 appropriate?
There is no doubt that when it comes to communities, the first thought goes to public institutions such as municipalities and large communities. However, the definition of “community” in the sense of ISO 37101 is much broader and potentially includes an infinite number of gatherings: “a group of people by agreement in terms of responsibilities, activities and relationships”.
Therefore, ISO 37101 certification applies to communities of any size, belonging to any type of texture, whether rural or urban, and to local, regional or national reference scales.
Like all management systems, this system is based on the “Plan-Do-Check-Act” cycle, so people need to review their goals and strategies regularly and periodically to be constantly updated to achieve continuous improvement.
Benefits of obtaining ISO 37101
- Improving the sustainability and flexibility of strategies, programs or initiatives developed under the responsibility of communities or in their respective countries.
- Improving the local environment, creating a more favorable social environment for citizens, and creating a society that can better prevent and adapt to natural disasters, economic crises, and climate change.
- Comparison within the community and its growth with respect to sustainable development.
- An overall, long-term vision for defining sustainability goals.