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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Key ISO Standards for Different Industries
ISO, the International Standards Organisation, issues ISO Standards to establish the best practices across many industries. Sectors addressed by these Standards include health, transport, food and agriculture, materials, energy, IT, management, engineering, construction, and safety. What are the popular ISO Standards? Some of the most widely used Standards are the ISO 9001 family concerning quality management, the ISO/IEC 27001 family for information security, and the ISO 45001 family regarding occupational health and safety. The overall intent of the ISO Standards and quality systems is to ensure high-quality, reliable, and safe services and products that are delivered by ethical and sustainable practices.
Understanding ISO Security Standards
The ISO/IEC 27001 family provides the ISO security Standards for information management. For instance, there are more than a dozen Standards in this family that outline the best practices in cyber resilience (how well a company can protect itself and bounce back from cyberattacks) and data protection.
For many organizations, their business data is an invaluable resource, and these Standards outline a proactive approach called threat intelligence, which enables you to foresee and predict any emerging cyber threats. Another important area covered by the ISO/IEC 27000 family, especially for large corporations, is identity management. This allows you to track, manage, and secure the identities of your customers and their personal data.
ISO Safety Standards and Compliance
ISO safety Standards are largely covered by the ISO 45001 family, which addresses occupational health and safety (OH&S). Part of its scope is to prevent ill health and workplace injuries by providing healthy and safe workplaces. It establishes guidelines for implementing OH&S management to curtail risks and eradicate hazards. Compliance with these safety Standards depends on the organization implementing all of the document’s requirements into their OH&S management system. If any requirements are excluded, the organization is considered to be in non-compliance with this Standard.
Medical Device ISO Standards Explained
There are a number of medical device ISO Standards that work together to ensure sterile and high-quality medical devices. Some of these are:
- ISO 13485 outlines the Standard for quality management systems overseeing the design, production, and delivery of medical devices.
- ISO 11135, ISO 11137, and ISO 17665 outline sterilization methods for medical devices such as radiation, ethylene oxide, and moist heat.
- ISO 15223-1 specifies the labeling requirements for medical devices and their packaging, especially in the form of symbols.
- ISO 11607 outlines the packaging requirements for medical devices that maintain their sterility throughout the production process and until they are used.
- ISO 14971 provides a risk management system for medical devices that identifies potential hazards and reduces risks.
Importance of ISO Standards in Quality and Safety
Think about it. The two non-negotiables in your daily transactions are quality and safety. In other words, is the product or service good enough? And is it safe? ISO quality Standards and safety are ultimately achieved by creating and implementing quality management systems and risk management systems as outlined in the ISO Standards.
Difference Between ISO and Other Standardisation Bodies
ISO Standards are internationally recognized, and ISO collaborates with international bodies such as the IEC (International Electrotechnical Commission) and the Standards organizations in other countries. These national bodies typically issue an ISO document for their local Standards without change, although some might issue a few amendments to reflect operating conditions in that country.
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.