ISO (International Organization for Standardization) is a global network that identifies what international standards are required by business, government and society, develops them in partnership with the sectors that will put them to use, adopts them by transparent procedures based on national input and delivers them to be implemented worldwide.

ISO standards distil an international consensus from the broadest possible base of stakeholder groups. Expert input comes from those closest to the needs for the standards and also to the results of implementing them. In this way, although voluntary, ISO standards are widely respected and accepted by public and private sectors internationally.

ISO – a non-governmental organization – is a federation of the national standards bodies of 149 countries, one per country, from all regions of the world, including developed, developing and transitional economies.

Each ISO member is the principal standards organization in its country. The members propose the new standards, participate in their development and provide support in collaboration with ISO Central Secretariat for the 3 000 technical groups that actually develop the standards. ISO members appoint national delegations to standards committees.

In all, there are some 50 000 experts contributing annually to the work of the Organization. When their work is published as an ISO International Standard, it may be adopted as a national standard by the ISO members and translated.

ISO standards make a positive contribution to the world we live in. They ensure vital features such as quality, ecology, safety, economy, reliability, compatibility, interoperability, efficiency and effectiveness. They facilitate trade, spread knowledge, and share technological advances and good management practices.