ISO 37101 Management Systems for Sustainable Development in Communities

ISO 37101 is an international standard which specifies the requirements of and provides guidance on the establishment of a management system for sustainable development in communities. The standard aims to help communities establish a framework that allows them to improve their standing in their social, economic and environmental aspects. The requirements of the standard can be applied to communities of all sizes in their sustainable development efforts towards smart, more resilient and more efficient infrastructure and ultimately help improve their overall well-being. The standard addresses specific sustainability issues such as governance, education, innovation, health care, interdependence, safety, inclusivity, etc., and has the flexibility of adding other sustainability issues which may prove relevant to the community implementing it. 

Alongside the issue of the depletion of finite resources (shortages of clean/drinking water, deforestation, infertile soils, food shortages, etc.), the issue of sustainable development is taking a global and eminent character. Our current way of living is not sustainable, and it will unavoidably leave younger generations with the burden of resource exhaustion. As such, it is imperative that we change our way of living and make our communities around the globe more sustainable.

The need for a more sustainable lifestyle in our communities is also reflected in the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): Zero Hunger, Affordable and Clean Energy, Sustainable Cities and Communities. The ISO 37101 standard takes these goals into consideration and adds its specific requirements with regard to making communities more sustainable. 

By implementing a sustainable development management system based on ISO 37101, a community will:

• Build consensus on sustainable development within communities
• Put in place a system which takes into account the pillars of sustainable development (economic, social, and environmental aspects) as well as the UN SDGs.
• Improve the sustainability, smartness and resilience of strategies, programs, projects, plans and services that are under the direct responsibility of communities
• Preserve and improve the environment
• Improve resilience and optimize resource usage
• Foster a systematic approach to engaging all interested parties
• Increase the efficiency and attractiveness of communities
• Obtain international recognition