Last year, we explored how international standards support gender equality in a more structured way in our article “Accelerating Action: How ISO Is Driving Gender Equality Through Standards.”
Several of the initiatives discussed at that time were newly published or still under development. Since then, some projects have progressed through development stages, while others are now being considered by organisations exploring how standards can support equality initiatives in practice.
International Women’s Day provides an opportunity to reflect on how these developments fit within wider efforts to promote gender equality in organisations and society.
ISO 53800 and organisational approaches to gender equality
ISO 53800:2024 Guidelines for the promotion and implementation of gender equality and women’s empowerment provides guidance for organisations seeking to promote gender equality within their governance structures, policies, and organisational culture. Rather than focusing only on individual workplace initiatives, ISO 53800 encourages organisations to examine how gender equality can be integrated into leadership practices, decision-making processes and long-term strategy.
Its guidance encourages organisations to take a structured approach, including:
- reviewing existing policies and organisational practices
- identifying barriers affecting women’s participation and advancement
- integrating equality considerations into governance and leadership decisions
- monitoring progress through defined indicators
For organisations already familiar with management system standards, this approach reflects principles used in areas such as quality, OH&S, and risk management. Applying similar structured thinking to gender equality can help organisations move beyond isolated initiatives and consider equality as part of broader organisational systems.
Although the standard was published in 2024, its application within organisations is still developing as organisations explore how its guidance can be integrated into existing frameworks and practices.
Building on existing standards
ISO 53800 builds on earlier standards that already recognised equality and inclusion as part of responsible organisational practice.
For example,ISO 26000:2010 Guidance on social responsibility identifies gender equality as an important aspect of organisational responsibility. The standard encourages organisations to address issues such as discrimination, fair employment practices, and equal opportunity as part of broader social responsibility commitments.
In 2025, ISO 26000 was reviewed and confirmed for continued use without revision, reflecting its ongoing relevance to organisations addressing social responsibility issues, including equality and human rights.
Similarly, ISO 30415:2021 Human resource management – Diversity and inclusion provides guidance on creating inclusive workplaces and promoting equitable opportunities within organisations.
Together, these standards establish a foundation for addressing equality within organisations. ISO 53800 extends this work by providing more focused guidance specifically aimed at gender equality and women’s empowerment.
Measuring workforce trends
Understanding workforce composition and organisational practices is an important part of addressing inequality. Standards that support transparency and reporting can therefore help identify areas where improvements may be needed.
An update to ISO 30414:2025 Human resource management – Requirements and recommendations for human capital reporting and disclosure was published in 2025. It provides guidance on reporting workforce metrics across areas such as recruitment, leadership representation, workforce composition, and employee development.
Structured reporting frameworks can help organisations identify patterns in workforce participation and career progression. This information can support decision-making and help organisations evaluate the impact of policies intended to support equality and inclusion.
Greater transparency in workforce reporting can also support broader discussions around diversity, representation and organisational accountability.
Occupational health guidance is advancing
Work is continuing within OH&S standards that consider workplace conditions affecting different groups of workers.
One example is ISO/DIS 45010 Occupational health and safety management – Menstruation, menstrual health and menopause in the workplace – Guidance, which addresses workplace considerations related to menstruation and menopause. Since last year’s article, the project has progressed from the Committee Draft (CD) stage to the Draft International Standard (DIS) stage, indicating that the draft has advanced within the ISO development process and is moving closer to potential publication.
The project reflects increasing recognition that certain health topics have historically received limited attention within workplace policies and guidance.
Rather than creating separate rules, the intention is to provide guidance that helps organisations consider how workplace design and policies can support a wider range of health experiences.
Remote work guidance progresses
Remote and hybrid work arrangements remain common across many sectors, and international guidance continues to develop in response.
Work on ISO/DIS 45008 Occupational health and safety management — Guidelines for remote working has also progressed since last year. The project has moved from the Working Draft (WD) stage to the Draft International Standard (DIS) stage, representing a significant step forward in the standards development process.
The standard aims to support organisations in managing remote work while protecting employee health, safety, and well-being.
Remote work policies can influence workforce participation, particularly where work responsibilities intersect with caregiving roles. Guidance in this area may therefore help organisations design work arrangements that support both organisational performance and employee wellbeing.
Supporting inclusive workforces
Other standards also contribute to broader discussions about workforce participation.
ISO 25551:2021 Ageing societies — General requirements and guidelines for carer-inclusive organizations provides guidance for organisations seeking to support employees who balance work with caregiving responsibilities. These responsibilities may include caring for older relatives, family members with disabilities, or individuals with long-term health conditions.
Because caregiving responsibilities continue to affect workforce participation in many countries, policies that support working carers may contribute to more inclusive workplaces.
Another related initiative is ISO 25550:2022 – Ageing societies — General requirements and guidelines for an age-inclusive workforce, which focuses on creating workplaces that support employees across different stages of their careers. As populations age and working lives extend, age-inclusive workplaces are becoming increasingly important for retaining skills and experience.
Together, these standards highlight the importance of considering the wider social factors that influence workforce participation.
Standards and the sustainable development goals
International standards can also support broader global initiatives such as the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
In particular, SDG 5 – Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls calls for action to address discrimination, improve participation in leadership and ensure equal opportunities in economic and social life.
Standards can support these objectives by providing practical frameworks that organisations can apply within their own governance structures and workplace practices. Guidance such as ISO 53800, along with standards related to diversity, reporting and workforce inclusion, can help organisations translate broad commitments into structured organisational actions.
ISO’s Gender Action Plan
Alongside the development of individual standards, ISO has also introduced broader initiatives aimed at strengthening gender equality within the standardisation system itself.
One example is ISO’s Gender Action Plan, first introduced in 2019 as part of the organisation’s wider strategy on diversity and inclusion. The plan supports ISO’s commitment to ensuring that gender perspectives are considered both in the development of standards and in participation within the standardisation community.
The current action plan includes several areas of focus, including:
- collecting and analysing data on gender representation within ISO governance and technical work
- improving gender balance and reducing barriers to women’s participation in standards development
- encouraging the development of gender-responsive standards
- supporting ISO members in building capacity and sharing best practices on gender equality
These initiatives recognise that the standards development process itself benefits from diverse participation. When a wider range of perspectives is involved in developing standards, the resulting guidance is more likely to reflect the needs of different users and industries.
ISO’s Gender Action Plan also aligns with broader global initiatives such as the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 5 (Gender Equality), reinforcing the role that international standards can play in supporting inclusive and equitable practices.
Why standards matter
Standards cannot eliminate inequality on their own.
However, they provide frameworks that support structured approaches to organisational change. By defining shared guidance and encouraging consistent practices, standards can help organisations move beyond statements of intent and focus on practical implementation.
They can also support transparency and accountability. Reporting frameworks, governance guidance, and inclusive workplace practices provide tools that organisations can use to monitor progress and evaluate the impact of their initiatives.
Looking ahead
Over the past few years, gender equality has received increasing attention within international standardisation work.
While the publication of standards such as ISO 53800:2024 represents an important step, the next phase will involve how organisations interpret and apply this guidance in practice.
International Women’s Day highlights the importance of practical tools, like international standards, that support organisations seeking to promote equality.
