ISO, the International Organization for Standardization, brings global experts together to agree on the best way of doing things – for anything from making a product to managing a process. As one of the oldest non-governmental international organizations, ISO has enabled trade and cooperation between people and companies all over the world since 1946. The International Standards published by ISO serve to make lives easier, safer and better.
ISO’s consensus-based standards development process ensures that comments from all stakeholders are taken into account
ISO standards serve one purpose: Making lives easier, safer and better. Learn about our vision.
Selling our standards allows us to finance their development and maintenance in a neutral environment.
ISO standards are all about identifying the best solutions to global challenges.
ISO members from all regions of the world nominate experts and vote on draft standards. The Central Secretariat coordinates and facilitates broad participation.
ISO is the short name for the International Organization for Standardization. It’s not an acronym, but a name inspired by the Greek word isos, meaning “equal” – reflecting our mission to create standards that ensure consistency and equality worldwide. Because the organization’s full name – and its initials – would vary across languages (for example Organisation internationale de normalisation in French), our founders chose “ISO” as a universal short form that could be recognized globally, regardless of language.
Whatever the country, whatever the language, we are always ISO.
Find out what standards the ISO community has developed to address the needs of your sector!
Health
IT and related technologies
Management and services
Safety, security and risks
Transport
Energy
Diversity and inclusion
Environmental sustainability
Food and agriculture
Materials
Building and construction
Engineering
ISO partners with other organizations to leverage the full potential of standards for sustainable development.
ISO standards are created by the people that need them. Find out why and how to participate in standards development:
International Organization for Standardization
ISO Central Secretariat
Chemin de Blandonnet 8
CP 401
1214 Vernier (Geneva)
Switzerland
E-mail: central@iso.org
Tel.: +41 22 749 01 11
Fax: +41 22 733 34 30
Making lives easier, safer and better.
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