The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) recently invited Professor Adrian Kuah, Professor of Strategy and Sustainability at James Cook University (JCU) in Singapore to participate in a forum titled ‘Circular Economy: Call for action to communicate, market and implement ISO 59000 standards’ in Qingdao, China. The forum brought together more than 40 representatives from national standards bodies (NSB), trade officials and business associations coming from Fiji, the Philippines, Vietnam, Laos, Myanmar, Nepal and China.

Organised by ISO, the Standardization Administration of the P.R.C. (SAC), and the Qingdao Municipal Government, the event aimed to enhance collaboration on the ISO 59000 series of standards for the circular economy and to establish an international standardisation exchange and cooperation platform. This initiative is part of the ISO Action Plan for Developing Countries, which aims to enhance the capacity of developing nations, promote economic growth and improve access to world markets while advancing sustainable development.

Professor Kuah led the discussion of the ISO-United Nations Development Programme (ISO/UNDP) guidelines for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), where he was recently appointed by Singapore Standards Council, Singapore’s NSB, in ISO Project Committee in creating ISO/UNDP 53001 Management Systems for UN SDGs, a new management system for SDGs.

This standard, being developed in collaboration with international experts, builds upon ISO/UNDP PAS 53002, which provides organisations with a unified approach to systematically manage and optimise their impact on sustainable development. Contributing to sustainable development through the ISO Action Plan for Developing Countries, Professor Kuah also informed representatives about the launch of the recent ISO 59000 Series on the circular economy which consists of four new standards:

• ISO 59004 Circular economy: Vocabulary, principles and guidance for implementation defines what the circular economy is, including its vision and principles, and offers general guidance on how it can be implemented and contribute to sustainability.
• ISO 59010 Circular economy: Guidance on the transition of business models and value networks provides guidance for organizations wishing to transition their value creation models and networks from a linear to a circular framework. It focuses on strategies to implement circular economy practices at both organisational and inter-organisational levels.
• ISO 59014 Environmental management and circular economy: Sustainability and traceability of the recovery of secondary materials – Principles, requirements and guidance provides principles, requirements and guidance for organisations in fostering the sustainability and traceability of activities and processes for the recovery of secondary materials to support the circular economy.
• ISO 59020 Circular economy: Measuring and assessing circularity performance provides a structured framework for organisations to measure and assess their circularity performance and sustainability impacts. It standardises the process by which organisations collect data using circularity indicators, ensuring consistent and verifiable results.

“The ISO 59000 series is a roadmap to the future of sustainable development while the ISO 53000 series provides a unified approach to optimise the impact on sustainable development. Organisations can position themselves for long-term success, aligning with global sustainability goals to drive significant competitive advantages. It is a delight to share my research and expertise with the ISO in developing these standards,” says Professor Kuah.

‘The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development is important. It defines international trade as an engine for inclusive economic growth and poverty reduction that contributes directly to sustainable development. Standards development provides a common language and measurement with the capacity to remove barriers to trade across countries, thereby fuelling business and economic growth,” says Professor Carole-Anne Upton, Deputy Vice-Chancellor of James Cook University’s Singapore campus.

“James Cook University’s expertise in the management systems of SDGs and circular economy is part of our impactful research in sustainable development,” she adds.

Discover further information on areas of research, and research strength at James Cook University in Singapore.

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Contacts

Professor Adrian Kuah: [email protected]

Media: Ms Pinky Sibal [email protected] / Ms Hoe Shu Rin [email protected]