The African Green Economy & Sustainability Institute has congratulated the International Organisation for Standardisation, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and Social Value International on the global launch of ISO/UNDP 53001—Management Systems for the Sustainable Development Goals. 

This landmark standard represents a transformative step toward embedding sustainable development into organisational governance, decision-making, and performance systems worldwide, according to a statement by AGESI.

AGESI’s executive director, Eugene Itua, an SDG Impact Standards accredited practitioner and trainer on ‘Natural Capital for Business Decision-Making’, described the launch as “a defining moment for global sustainability practice, and a major breakthrough for institutions seeking credible, structured, and measurable pathways for SDG alignment”.

ISO/UNDP 53001 is the first international management system standard dedicated to the SDGs. It provides organisations with a structured, auditable framework for integrating sustainable development into strategy, governance, operations, and performance measurement. AGESI considered it a critical advancement for governments, development finance institutions, private sector actors, and civil society organisations across Africa.

AGESI commended SVI for its technical contributions to developing ISO/UNDP 53001. As a Category A liaison organisation to ISO, SVI ensured that the standard reflects global best practice in stakeholder engagement, impact measurement, and social value principles.

AGESI noted that the ‘Principles of Social Value’, particularly ‘Involve Stakeholders’, are embedded within the new standard, reinforcing the importance of inclusive, equitable, and accountable decision-making.

“SVI’s leadership has been instrumental in shaping a standard that places people, communities, and real-world outcomes at the centre of sustainability governance. AGESI applauds this contribution and looks forward to deepening collaboration across Africa,” said Mr Itua.

Mr Itua is an accredited trainer on the UNDP SDG Impact Standards, working through SVI and global partners to help organisations integrate ecosystem service valuation, natural capital thinking, and impact-aligned decision frameworks into engineering design, investment appraisal, and operational management. 

His dual accreditation positions him at the intersection of SDG governance, impact assurance, and nature-positive infrastructure planning, reinforcing AGESI’s commitment to advancing world-class sustainability practice across Africa.