ISO standards and definitions help shape business activities.
The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) is the leading authority on global management, measurements and standards practices. The organization offers certifications in various disciplines. According to its website, it has developed more than 18,000 international standards on a variety of subjects. The standards are basically a documented agreement that involves technical specifications that are used for rule making, benchmarks and definitions.
Development of Standards
ISO standards are developed using three basic principles: consensus, industrywide and voluntary. For the consensus standard, a look at the subject matter is taken by all interested parties, which may include manufacturers, vendors, government entities, consumers, field experts and other such relevant parties. The industrywide standard provides global solutions to affect relevant industry and customers in the global market. The voluntary standard is market driven and is based on voluntary involvement from interests in the marketplace.
There are three main phases used to develop a standard. Once the need for a standard has been recognized by the industry, then the technical scope is developed. According to the ISO website, this phase is usually carried out by working groups that are comprised of technical experts from different countries who are interested in the subject matter. The second phase of development involves detailed negotiations regarding the technical specifications. These negotiations are held between the countries that make up the technical committee. The final phase of the process results in the formal approval of the draft international standard. Once the draft is approved, the text is published as an ISO international standard.
Stages of Development
In addition to the three main phases during the development of a standard, six stages are followed during the development process. The six stages are the proposal stage, the preparatory stage, the committee stage, the inquiry stage, the approval stage and the publication stage.
During the first stage, the necessity for a specific international standard is confirmed. In the second stage, a working group of industry experts prepares a working draft of the standard. During the third stage, the technical committee submits a draft for review by the members. During the fourth stage, the draft is circulated to all members for comment and review. There is a five-month period for comments during this stage. In the fifth stage, the draft is circulated to the membership for a final yes or no vote and this period is open for two months. The final stage is the publication stage. After the draft is approved, it is sent to the ISO Central Secretariat, which publishes the International Standard.
Certifications
ISO offers certifications in various series of standards. However, certification is not required of any ISO management system standards. Organizations interested in applying for certification may do so through the application process with ISO. According to the ISO website, "certification refers to the issuing of written assurance by an independent external body that it has audited a management system and verified that it conforms to the requirements specified in the standard." Many organizations value ISO certification and tout it as a highly recognized credential. ISO clearly states that it does not carry out assessments or audits to check that users are implementing its standards. Conformity assessment, therefore, is a matter between suppliers and customers in the private sector, and of regulatory bodies when ISO standards have been incorporated into public legislation.
