ISO Standards
About International Organization for Standardization
The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) was established in 1947 in London, United Kingdom and has its current headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland. It is an independent, non-government, non-profit organisation that collaboratively creates and publishes various technical and nontechnical international standards. It aims to promote safe, reliable, high-quality products and services. The standards pertain to many industries including technology, healthcare, agriculture, food safety and product manufacturing. The International Organization for Standardization does not cover the electronic engineering and electrical fields (known collectively as electrotechnology), as the standards for these are covered by the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC).
The international standards are developed as consensus-based voluntary guidelines that create cohesive solutions across many fields. Some are industry-specific, and others, such as occupational health and safety, relate to many different fields. The standards are applicable worldwide as a universal language, helping to support innovation in the global marketplace. International standards are essential reference points for developing and maintaining Australian Standards across various sectors.
Intertek Inform: Your Gateway to International Organization for Standardization
Intertek Inform makes it easy for businesses to buy ISO standards from our website, giving convenient access to globally recognized guidelines set by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). This streamlines procurement, ensuring businesses can swiftly acquire the necessary standards to enhance quality and competitiveness.
You can purchase individual ISO standards in digital PDF or printed (hardcopy) formats on our website. Or you may like to manage your standards with i2i, our secure, configurable, cloud-based platform, accessible through our subscription service.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Below is a series of some of the most common questions related to the International Organization for Standardization.
ISO, which stands for the International Organization for Standardization*, is a non-governmental international organisation consisting of a network of national standards bodies. ISO members share their expertise and collaborate to develop international standards that set consistent benchmarks. This benefits businesses and consumers through simplifying choices and making processes more accessible, dependable and safer for everybody. It is also a way of promoting high-quality products and services. ISO is the principal standards body guiding Australian Standards.
*Given that the International Organization for Standardization is officially published in English, French and Russian, each of which would have different acronyms when abbreviated, it was decided that the acronym ISO be used across the board, whatever the country or language. This derives from the Greek ‘isos’ or ‘equal’, in the sense of friendship among equals.
The International Organization for Standardization is a fully independent, non-profit international organisation. Currently, it consists of 169 member bodies (members) that vote in ISO policy and technical meetings.
The three member categories are:
- Full members (including Australia) sell and adopt ISO international standards country-wide.
- Correspondent members attend ISO meetings as observers rather than participants. They sell and adopt ISO international standards in their country.
- Subscriber members observe ISO as non-participants and cannot sell the international standards in their country.
Through its 169 members, the International Organization for Standardization organises a series of technical and policy meetings in which expert members collaboratively develop international standards. These are done by more than 800 technical committees and subcommittees. To date, the ISO has published over 24,000 international standards pertaining to product development and services across many industries, such as agriculture and healthcare. These have a significant bearing on the safety, quality and efficiency of many industries around the world.