Local government governance and management practices, influenced by a range of competing demands, can make implementing sustainability policies and measures difficult, leading to wastage and a larger ecological footprint.

The application of International sustainability management standards, such as those outlined by the International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO), enable local governments to better take sustainability into account during decision–making, policy formulation, implementation and evaluation.

As experts on the ISO 37100 series for sustainable cities and communities, ICLEI supports local governments throughout the attainment process, helping them to incorporate the stipulated procedures into their own organisational structures.