CN Quality Check
Standards Comparison Tool
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
This report covers ISO 26000:2010 (社会责任指南, Guidance on Social Responsibility) and its Chinese adoption GB/T 36000-2015, a guidance/management system standard family — not a product or test standard. The Chinese adoption is MOD (modified) with national adjustments, and neither standard is certifiable. The single most important procurement implication: any supplier claiming "ISO 26000 certified" is making a false statement — certification is explicitly prohibited by the standard itself.
APPLICABLE CHINESE STANDARDS
| Standard No. | Title (Chinese) | Scope | Mandatory/Recommended | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GB/T 36000-2015 | 社会责任指南 (Social Responsibility Guidance) | Core guidance, 7 principles, 7 core subjects, 36 issues | Recommended | Current |
| GB/T 36001-2015 | 社会责任报告编写指南 (Social Responsibility Report Writing Guidelines) | Report structure and content | Recommended | Current |
| GB/T 36002-2015 | 社会责任绩效分类指引 (Social Responsibility Performance Classification Guidelines) | Performance classification | Recommended | Current |
| GB/T 39604-2020 | 社会责任管理体系 要求及使用指南 (SR Management System — Requirements and Guidance) | Certifiable management system | Recommended | Current |
STANDARD TIER CLASSIFICATION
| Standard | Tier | Description |
|---|---|---|
| ISO 26000:2010 | TIER 4 — Guidance Standard | Guidance only; not for certification (Foreword, p. vi) |
| GB/T 36000-2015 | TIER 4 — Guidance Standard | Chinese adoption of ISO 26000 |
| GB/T 39604-2020 | TIER 4 — Management System | Certifiable SR management system (unlike ISO 26000) |
FLAG: ISO 26000 is guidance-only. Any use as a certification basis is a misapplication. GB/T 39604-2020 is the certifiable Chinese SR standard.
SCOPE BREAKDOWN
Social Responsibility Guidance (社会责任指南)
Chinese standard: GB/T 36000-2015: 社会责任指南 (Social Responsibility Guidance)
International equivalent: ISO 26000:2010: Guidance on Social Responsibility — 2010 edition
Equivalence: MOD (修改采用)
Standard tier match: Both TIER 4 — valid comparison
| Parameter | Chinese Standard Value (Clause) | International Value (Clause) | Deviation | Mutual Recognition | Procurement Impact |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Core subjects | 7 (GB/T 36000-2015 §6) | 7 (ISO 26000:2010 §6) | Identical | 直接互认 (Direct mutual recognition) | LOW |
| Principles | 7 (GB/T 36000-2015 §4) | 7 (ISO 26000:2010 §4) | Identical | 直接互认 (Direct mutual recognition) | LOW |
| Issues | 36 (GB/T 36000-2015 §6) | 36 (ISO 26000:2010 §6) | Identical | 直接互认 (Direct mutual recognition) | LOW |
| Certification use | Prohibited (GB/T 36000-2015 Foreword) | Prohibited (ISO 26000:2010 Foreword, p. vi) | Identical | 直接互认 (Direct mutual recognition) | LOW |
| National notes | Added (GB/T 36000-2015 Preface) | N/A | MOD adoption — national context added | 附加测试后互认 (Mutual recognition after additional testing) | LOW |
KEY DIFFERENCES SUMMARY
- Adoption type: GB/T 36000-2015 is MOD (modified), not IDT — China added national notes. Mutual recognition: 直接互认 (Direct mutual recognition) for core content. Impact: LOW.
- Certification status: ISO 26000 and GB/T 36000 are non-certifiable; GB/T 39604-2020 IS certifiable. Impact: MEDIUM — buyers must use GB/T 39604-2020 for certification claims.
- Scope: Both cover 7 subjects, 7 principles, 36 issues identically. Impact: LOW.
REGULATORY LINKAGE TABLE (法规联动)
| Compliance Scenario | Chinese Regulatory Basis | International Regulatory Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Mandatory product certification | N/A — guidance standard, no certification | N/A — ISO 26000 prohibits certification |
| Engineering acceptance inspection | N/A for product standard comparison | N/A |
| Import/export compliance | N/A — not a trade compliance standard | N/A |
| Designer/engineer obligation | N/A for product standard comparison | N/A |
AUDIT FLAG RESOLUTION
- ✅ RESOLVED: Adoption type — GB/T 36000-2015 is MOD (修改采用), not IDT. Verified via standard preface.
- ✅ RESOLVED: Certification prohibition — both standards explicitly prohibit certification use (ISO 26000:2010 Foreword, p. vi; GB/T 36000-2015 Foreword).
- ✅ FALSE POSITIVE (domain flag): GB/T 36000-2015 — flagged as potential product standard, but usage is valid as TIER 4 guidance standard.
PROCUREMENT VERDICT
- Reject any supplier claiming "ISO 26000 certified" — false by definition.
- For certifiable SR management, require GB/T 39604-2020 certification.
- Use GB/T 36001-2015 for report format compliance.
- Use GB/T 36002-2015 for performance classification.
- Verify supplier's SR report against GB/T 36000-2015 §6 core subjects.
- No product-level compliance required — this is a management/guidance framework.
REFERENCE DOCUMENT CHECKLIST (配套调阅清单)
- ISO 26000:2010 §Foreword — certification prohibition
- GB/T 36000-2015 §Preface — MOD adoption declaration
- GB/T 36000-2015 §6 — 7 core subjects verification
- GB/T 39604-2020 §1 — certifiable scope confirmation
FIELD INSPECTION CHECKLIST
- Verify supplier's SR report structure matches GB/T 36001-2015.
- Confirm no "ISO 26000 certified" claims on marketing materials.
- Check GB/T 39604-2020 certificate validity if SR management claimed.
- Review SR performance data against GB/T 36002-2015 classification.
- Confirm 7 core subjects addressed in supplier documentation.
CONFIDENCE RATING
🟢 HIGH CONFIDENCE — data verified across two independent AI sources, all numeric values have clause references, official statuses confirmed via std.samr.gov.cn.
Technical comparison report — CN Quality Check Standards Tool. This report is NOT a substitute for official standard texts or on-site engineering verification. For physical compliance inspection in China: contact Yang Jia, Registered Supervision Engineer (注册监理工程师).
Need on-site compliance verification in China?
This report is an AI-assisted technical reference. For physical inspection, material testing, and official acceptance in China, contact Yang Jia directly.
Request an Inspection →