International Organization of Standardization

International Organization of Standardization

By Prabhu In ITIL
  • Last updated 04/2023
  • Certified Course
IOS

ISO

About The Course

ISO (International Organization for Standardization) is a worldwide federation of national standards bodies.

ISO is a nongovernmental organization that comprises standards bodies from more than 160 countries, with one standards body representing each member country. For example, the American National Standards Institute represents the United States.

ISO members are national standards organizations that collaborate in the development and promotion of international standards for technology, scientific testing processes, working conditions, societal issues and more. ISO and its members then sell documents detailing these standards.

The ISO's General Assembly is its decision-making body. It consists of representatives from the members and elected leaders called principal officers. The organization has its headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, where a central secretariat oversees operations.

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How do businesses become ISO certified?

The process of getting certified for an ISO standard can be expensive, time-consuming and potentially disruptive to the business. Before taking any steps to get certified, determining the need for certification can be the most important step.

The first step in becoming certified is determining whether certification is worth the costs. Some reasons that organizations pursue certifications include the following:

  • Regulatory requirements. Some businesses and products require certification that they meet common standards.
  • Commercial standards. When certification is not a regulatory requirement, products and services that are certified to meet minimum standards are a necessity for some industries.
  • Improved consistency. Certification can help large organizations deliver consistent quality assurance across business units as well as across international borders.
  • Customer satisfaction. Enterprise customers that use a product or service in different contexts and countries appreciate consistent performance. Compliance with standards can also help the certified organization resolve customer issues.

The certification process for ISO standards varies, depending on the standard and the certifying body. For popular standards, organizations may need to first review and select a suitable certification body.

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