Templates and records · ISO 26000:2010 · Clause 6.4.5

ISO 26000 social dialogue record template

The consultations and negotiations with worker representatives on matters that affect them, and what was agreed at each one.

In one sentence

The social dialogue record documents each consultation, briefing or negotiation with worker representatives, the topics covered, the agreements and their follow-up; it is good practice under ISO 26000 (6.4.5), which treats social dialogue as a labour practices issue and recommends not obstructing it and providing enough information for it to be meaningful.

Content reviewed on 17 October 2026

Where the standard requires it: ISO 26000:2010 · Clause 6.4.5 Clauses are cited using the numbering of ISO 26000:2010, the only edition published. As it is a guidance standard, no template is mandatory: all are listed as good practice.
Type of information: Good practice Good practice: ISO 26000 is a guidance standard (clause 6.4.5)
Who fills it in: People management Minutes are signed by both sides
When: At every meeting or consultation And always before decisions affecting the workforce
How long it is kept: Decided by the organisation As a guidance standard, ISO 26000 sets no retention periods. Keeping several years’ worth lets you show progress over time, which is what stakeholders value most.

What the standard requires

What ISO 26000:2010 demands and what it leaves to your judgement

The guidance defines social dialogue as negotiation, consultation or exchange of information between the company and its workers, through their representatives, on matters of common interest. It recommends recognising its importance, respecting workers’ right to organise and giving them the information they need.

In Spain, employment law already sets out information and consultation rights for statutory worker representatives. This record does not replace them: it shows they are exercised and what they achieve.

Read it in context: Labour practices, in the ISO 26000:2010 Academy

Structure

Fields the template should include

Date, type (information, consultation, negotiation) and attendees
Topics covered
Information provided beforehand
Positions and agreements
Commitments, owner and deadline
Follow-up of earlier commitments

Example

Example: pre-harvest meeting (fictitious organisation)

Company, people and figures are fictitious: the example only shows what a properly completed record looks like.

Field	Content
Date and type	12 March 2026 · consultation with the works council
Topics	Harvest calendar, housing and transport for seasonal workers, shifts in extreme heat
Prior information	Harvest plan and housing budget handed over on 2 March
Agreement	Continuous shift from 6:00 to 13:00 whenever the forecast exceeds 35 °C
Commitment	Water and shade points every 300 metres · field supervisor · 15 May
Follow-up	Commitment from the previous harvest on transport: fulfilled

At the audit

Mistakes auditors commonly flag

Meetings are held but no written agreements come out of them.
Information is given after the decision, not before.
Commitments are not reviewed at the next meeting.
Subcontractors’ staff have no channel for dialogue.

In Kimobox

How this record is kept in Kimobox

1Minutes are kept as controlled documents, with read receipts.
2Commitments are assigned to an owner with a date and an alert if they slip.
3Workplace safety and wellbeing indicators are documented on the dashboard.

Frequently asked questions

What people ask us before getting started

What is the difference between informing, consulting and negotiating?

Informing means sharing data; consulting means asking for views before deciding and taking them into account; negotiating means seeking a binding agreement. The record should make clear which kind each meeting was.

What if the company has no worker representatives?

The guidance still recommends dialogue. Open meetings with staff or consultation channels can be used, with topics and agreements recorded in the same way.

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Sources

Where each figure comes from

References to the official text in force. If a standard is revised, this page is updated and the review date says so.

ISO 26000:2010 — Guidance on social responsibility ISO · 2010 ed.