Competence: definition (ISO/UNDP 53001)
Competence (French: compétence) is the demonstrated ability to apply knowledge and skills to achieve an intended result. ISO 53001 asks the organisation to determine the competence needed by people whose work affects its contribution to the SDGs, ensure they have it, and keep evidence.
Updated: · edition covered: ISO/UNDP 53001:2026
In an ISO/UNDP 53001 audit
The auditor picks a few key roles, such as the person who compiles SDG indicators or the buyer who assesses suppliers, and checks three things: the required competence is defined, the people in post have it, and action is taken where they do not.
A training certificate does not prove competence by itself. The auditor looks at how the effectiveness of training was evaluated and may ask simple technical questions, for example on how an indicator is calculated. These points fall under subclause 7.2 of clause 7 of the ISO/UNDP 53001 standard.
Skills specific to SDG work
SDG work often relies on skills that are new to the organisation: carbon accounting, human rights due diligence in supply chains, gender pay analysis. The auditor checks that such skills were identified as needs when the priority SDGs were chosen and, where they are bought in from an outside expert, that the organisation still understands and controls the results it receives.
See also
- Awareness: definition (ISO/UNDP 53001)Awareness (French: *sensibilisation*) means that people working under the organisation's control know the SDG policy, the objectives relevant to them, their own contribution to the system and the consequences of not meeting its requirements.
- Documented information: definition (ISO/UNDP 53001)Documented information (French: *information documentée*) is information an organisation must control and keep up to date, whatever the medium: text, database, dashboard, video.
- Effectiveness: definition (ISO/UNDP 53001)Effectiveness (French: *efficacité*) is the extent to which planned activities are carried out and planned results achieved.
- ISO/UNDP 53001 clause 7: what the auditor checksISO 53001 clause 7 groups the support requirements: resources, competence, awareness, communication and documented information.