Overview
ISO 25551:2021 - Ageing societies: General requirements and guidelines for carer‑inclusive organizations provides requirements and practical guidance for establishing organizational programs that support working carers. The standard addresses carers of adults with cognitive, sensory, physical or invisible disabilities, chronic or episodic conditions, older dependents, and long‑term childcare recipients. It is applicable to any organization - regardless of size, sector or location - and can be used alone or integrated with existing management systems, human resources (HR) programs, or equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) initiatives.
Key context:
- Recognizes unpaid and paid caregiving as a growing social and economic issue in ageing societies (introductory data highlights global care dependence).
- Emphasizes a sex/gender lens to address disproportionate caregiving burdens on women and to promote equality.
Key topics and requirements
ISO 25551 outlines a structured, flexible framework for a carer‑inclusive program, including:
- Leadership and commitment: top management support, accountability and integration with organizational strategy.
- Worker consultation and participation: engaging employees and carers in program design and review.
- Policy development: establishing a clear carer‑inclusive organization policy.
- Regulatory and social responsibility alignment: consider statutory entitlements, public supports and community resources.
- Internal review and gap analysis: assess existing supports, identify barriers and set objectives and targets.
- Confidential disclosure: mechanisms for confidentially identifying and supporting working carers.
- Awareness, competence and training: training for managers and staff to recognize and support carers.
- Communication: make available services, entitlements and supports visible and accessible.
- Practical supports and actions: suggested workplace actions (e.g., flexible working, targeted benefits, referral to services).
- Response planning: arrangements for unplanned or emergency caregiving situations.
- Monitoring, measurement and documentation: track outcomes, monitor performance and report.
- Management review and continual improvement: periodic review inputs/outputs and continual improvement processes.
The standard also includes informative annexes (e.g., sex/gender lens and a sample internal review checklist).
Applications
ISO 25551 is designed to help organizations:
- Develop or improve workplace caregiver policies and benefits.
- Integrate carer supports into HR, EDI and health & safety systems.
- Reduce staff turnover, absenteeism and presenteeism while improving morale and productivity.
- Comply with or complement statutory carer leave and social supports.
Practical uses include creating flexible work arrangements, confidential disclosure pathways, targeted training for managers, and measurable objectives for carer support programs.
Who should use it
- Employers, HR leaders and senior management
- Occupational health and safety teams
- EDI and people‑strategy professionals
- Public sector agencies, NGOs and service providers
- Consultants designing workplace wellbeing and caregiver support programs
Related standards
Use in conjunction with ISO 30415 (Diversity & inclusion), ISO TR 30406 (HR guidance), ISO 45001 / ISO 45003 (occupational health and safety and psychosocial risk). Keywords: ISO 25551:2021, carer‑inclusive organizations, working carers, caregiver support, workplace policy, ageing societies, flexible working, employee wellbeing.
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