ISO stands for the International Organization for Standardization. It is an independent, non-governmental international organization that develops and publishes international standards used worldwide to ensure quality, safety, and efficiency across various industries and sectors.
ISO's primary mission is to promote the development of standardization worldwide to facilitate international trade and cooperation. The organization focuses on four key objectives: ensuring quality and safety in products and services, promoting efficiency in processes, enabling global compatibility between different systems, and supporting innovation across industries.
ISO has developed thousands of standards covering various industries and sectors. Some of the most well-known include ISO 9001 for quality management, ISO 14001 for environmental management, ISO 27001 for information security, ISO 45001 for occupational health and safety, and ISO 50001 for energy management. These standards help organizations improve their performance and demonstrate credibility to stakeholders and customers.
ISO consists of 167 member countries, each represented by their national standardization body. The organization has a hierarchical structure with the General Assembly as the governing body, the Council as the executive body, and the Technical Management Board overseeing technical work. The Central Secretariat is located in Geneva, Switzerland. Members collaborate through technical committees to develop consensus-based international standards.
ISO standards have a profound global impact across multiple sectors. They facilitate international trade by reducing technical barriers, improve product quality and consumer safety, support sustainable development goals, and enable technological innovation. With over 24,000 published standards covering all industries and sectors, ISO helps create a more connected, standardized, and efficient world where businesses can operate seamlessly across borders.