International Organization for Standardization (ISO)

The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) is the world's leading institution for standard development, having published more than 15,000 standards in many diverse fields ranging from traditional activities, such as agriculture and construction, to the newest developments in fields such as mechanical engineering, medical devices, and information technology. More recently, in 2004, ISO decided to further extend its activities by starting the development of an international standard addressing the social responsibility of organizations.

ISO is a truly global organization—a network association among 157 national standardization bodies worldwide—representing both government institutes and private, industry associations. It was founded in 1947 with the overall mission “to facilitate the international coordination and unification of industrial standards.” Its modus operandi in the process of standard development is based on some ...