INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION FOR STANDARDIZATION

WHAT IS INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION FOR STANDARDIZATION:

The International Organization for Standardization is an international standard development organization composed of representatives from the national standards organizations of member countries. Membership requirements are given in Article 3 of the ISO Statutes.

Founded on 23 February 1947, and since then has published over 19,500 international standards covering all aspect of technology and business. The organization develops and publishes standardization in all technical and nontechnical fields other than electrical and electronic engineering. It is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, and works in 167 countries as of 2022. The three official languages of the ISO are English, French, and Russian.

OVERVIEW:

The International Organization for Standardization is an independent, non-governmental organization, whose membership consists of different national standards bodies. As of 2022, there are 167 members representing ISO in their country, with each country having only one member.

The organization develops and publishes international standards in all technical and nontechnical fields other than electrical and electronic engineering, which are the responsibility of the International Electro technical Commission. As of April 2022, the ISO has developed over 24,261 standards, covering everything from manufactured products and technology to food safety, agriculture, and healthcare.

ISO has 804 technical committees and subcommittees concerned with standards development.

HISTORY:

The organization that is known today as ISO began in 1926 as the International Federation of the National Standardizing Associations (ISA), which primarily focused on mechanical engineering. The ISA was suspended in 1942 during World War II; however, after the war, the ISA was approached by the recently-formed United Nations Standards Coordinating Committee (UNSCC) with a proposal to form a new global standards body.

In October 1946, ISA and UNSCC delegates from 25 countries met in London and agreed to join forces to create the International Organization for Standardization. The organization officially began operations in 23 February 1947.

WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF ISO MEMBERSHIP?

FULL MEMBERS :

Full members (or member bodies) influence ISO standards development and strategy by participating and voting in ISO technical and policy meetings. Full members sell and adopt ISO International Standards nationally.

CORRESPONDENT MEMBERS :

Correspondent members observe the development of ISO standards and strategy by attending ISO technical and policy meetings as observers. Correspondent members that are national entities sell and adopt ISO International Standards nationally. Correspondent members in the territories that are not national entities sell ISO International Standards within their territory.

SUBSCRIBER MEMBERS :

Subscriber members keep up to date on ISO’s work but cannot participate in it. They do not sell or adopt ISO International Standards nationally.

STRUCTURE AND ORGANIZATION:

ISO is an independent, non-governmental organization made up of members from the national standards bodies of 167 countries. Members meet annually at a General Assembly to discuss the strategic objectives of ISO. The organization is coordinated by a central secretariat based in Geneva.

A council with a rotating membership of 20 member bodies provides guidance and governance, including setting the annual budget of the central secretariat.

The technical management board is responsible for more than 250 technical committees, who develop the ISO standards.

HOW IS FINANCING ISO?

Our national members pay subscriptions that meet the operational costs of the Central Secretariat. The subscription paid by each member is in proportion to the country’s gross national income and trade figures. Another source of revenue is the sale of standards.

However, the operations of ISO’s Central Secretariat represent only about one fifth of the cost of the system’s operation. Other costs are related to specific standards development projects and technical work. These costs are borne by member bodies and business organizations that allow their experts to participate and pay their travel expenses.