Abstract

Released in April 2016, the Guidance to the application of UNI ISO 26000 assists organizations in contributing to sustainable development and encourages them to go beyond legal compliance, promoting a common understanding in the field of social responsibility. Yet companies may find difficulties in practical implementation because they are at various stages of understanding and integrating social responsibility into their processes. Moreover, they have to understand how to complement ISO 26000 with other existing standards, tools and initiatives for social responsibility. Trying to contribute to the quest for additional insights on ISO 26000 implementation, this work aims to provide a critical analysis of the applicability and the appropriateness of ISO 26000 in the context of an Italian cooperative, named Camst, which represents one of the largest catering service firms in Italy. The case study analysis indicates that an experienced user like Camst can benefit from the introduction of ISO 26000, whose adoption has led to an improvement in existing practices and a greater integration of social responsibility into the organisation. The work provides both scientific and managerial implications. On the one hand, it contributes to further reflections on the effectiveness of ISO 26000. On the other hand, it suggests how organisations can maximise the benefits of ISO 26000 implementation.