New people management standard is published

30 July 2015

BSI, the business standards company, has published BS 76000 Human resource - Valuing people- Management system - Requirements and guidance. All comments from the 100-day public consultation, have been gathered and considered, to develop a principles-based management system standard for human capital. 

The fundamental premise of BS 76000 is that people are inherently valuable – they are an organization’s biggest asset and should be treated as such. By respecting this basic principle, both organizations and the people who work on their behalf can benefit  from a more equal and sustainable working relationship. As a management system standard, BS 76000 provides a framework for organizations to put processes in place which will help catalyse that relationship. 

The standard is relevant for any organization beyond that of sole trader – not just HR professionals or bigger organizations with HR departments – but any organization with employees, volunteers or temporary staff. 

Anne Hayes, Head of Market Development for Governance & Resilience at BSI said: “Recognizing the valuable role people play in the success of an organization is becoming more important, and any approach towards nurturing, retaining and evolving staff, is essential. Businesses that demonstrate this understanding are increasing their attractiveness as employers. Not only is this is a great way to draw and keep the best talent, it raises the bar and boosts reputation.”

BS 76000 is based on the core structure and common text developed by ISO for all of its management system standards. This will enable organizations with other such standards in place, to implement and integrate BS 76000 into its wider management systems in a simpler way. Additional guidance has been inserted into the requirements, however, allowing the new standard-user community to understand and implement it more easily. 

The principles of BS 76000 are:

  • The interests of staff and other stakeholders are integral to the best interests of an organization
  • The organization is part of wider society and has a responsibility to operate in a fair and socially responsible manner
  • Commitment to valuing people should come from the most senior leaders of an organization
  • People working on behalf of the organization have intrinsic value in addition to their protections under the law or in regulation, which needs to be respected
  • Each principle is of equal importance

The standard was developed using a collaborative, consensus-based approach with expertise from a range of employers, academics and other industry bodies. This included senior management who recognized  that the issue of people management must be addressed at a strategic level, enabling ‘people worth’ to be instilled into the psyche of the business. Some of the organizations included: Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA), CIPD, Federation of Small Businesses and University Forum for Human Resource Development. 


                                                   -ENDS- 

Notes to editors

- Those with an interest in management of people in organizations can attend the BS 76000 launch event on 30 September. To register your interest for the free event please visit our website