AA1000

Initially conceived in 1999, AA1000 series are principles based standards developed by AccountAbility (a UK-based, not-for-profit partnership) to help organisations become more 'accountable, responsible and sustainable.' The AA1000 series provide operational guidance to a range of organisations on sustainability assurance and stakeholder engagement, as well as organisational strategy, governance and business models.

The involvement of stakeholder groups is crucial to each stage of the process. The standards are designed both for internal and external audit procedures.

The AA1000 series of standards include:

• The AA1000 AccountAbility Principles Standard (AA1000APS) provides a framework for an organisation to identify, prioritise and respond to its sustainability challenges.
• The AA1000 Assurance Standard (AA1000AS) provides a methodology for assurance practitioners to evaluate the nature and extent to which an organisation adheres to the AccountAbility Principles.
• The AA1000 Stakeholder Engagement Standard (AA1000SES) provides a framework to help organisations ensure stakeholder engagement processes are purpose driven, robust and deliver results.