World First; Wiki Platform to be used in the Development of the Next Generation of Sustainability Assurance Standard.

AccountAbility, Sd3, BISD and openDemocracy launched the world's first international corporate standard development process incorporating a wiki-style interactive platform on 11th October. The Wikipedia-style collaborative process is being used for the AA1000 Assurance Standard revision and will deliver a standard that is collaboratively deliberated and created.

Our wiki-standard process uses exactly the same software platform as used for the development of Wikipedia to empower interested stakeholders to jointly revise and improve the AA1000AS. This technology is brought to the project by openDemocracy; experts in facilitating on-line, technology-rich debate. AccountAbility is contributing knowledge of the traditional standard-building process and will lead all stakeholders through the wiki process. Sd3 and BISD, partners in the revision process, will bring their innovative spirit and practitioner expertise to the development of the platform.

Sd3 Founding Director, Jason Perks said of the project; "Having experienced the lack of openness and transparency in other standards development, Sd3 have been looking for some fresh thinking in this area and are delighted to support this new wiki-based approach. We believe it has the potential to revolutionise the development of a wide range of standards."

AccountAbility believes the sustainability assurance standard needs to be created in an open and participative way because this is precisely the ideal it espouses. By balancing the rights and responsibilities of wiki participants, the end-goal of a working gold-standard for assurance will be achieved.

With this enhanced stakeholder involvement process, the next generation of the AA1000 Assurance Standard will have the chance not only to respond to significant market needs but do so in a way that will set key markers for the future of organisational assurance.

Your engagement is fundamental to the success of the next generation of the AA1000 AS. Participants interested in joining the collective process, are invited to sign-up for wiki membership at www.accountability21.net. The wiki process runs from December 07 until September 08.