What does ISO stand for?
ISO stands for the International Organization of Standardization. It is an international organization that develops and publishes international standards. It is the world's largest organization for developing international standards.
What is ISO?
- ISO or international organization of standardization is an international standard-setting body comprising individuals from various national standard organizations.ISO is independent of any government organization and has around 165 national standard organization members. ISO sets standards and rules for a variety of businesses and organizations and then publishes technical support.
- It brings together experts to share their experience and knowledge and develop voluntary market-relevant international standards that support transformation and provide solutions for global challenges.
- Members of ISO meet annually to discuss all the strategic objectives of the organization. In addition to that, there is a 20 member council with rotating membership that provides advice and direction for the organization. ISO acts as the main source of connection between public and private sectors. Many members of the ISO are also members of the national standard organization of their respective countries and are authorized by their government.
- The ISO smoothens international world trade by laying out common standards among various countries. These standards are laid out to ensure products and services are safe and of good quality.
- ISO up until now has released around 19500 international standards which cover every field such as safety, food, technology, safety, agriculture, and healthcare.
What is the history of ISO?
- In 1946, delegates from around 25 countries met at the institute of civil engineers in London decided to have an international organization that facilitates international cooperation.
- ISO was officially announced in 1947 and started its operations. It was officially founded on the 23rd of February 1947 in Geneva, Switzerland.
- In the 1980s it ISO formed various communities to work on the development of a common standard that will be accepted worldwide.
What are the benefits of ISO?
Following are the advantages of ISO:
1. Reliability:
When a company is certified by the ISO it can exhibit its reliability to purchasers, suppliers, business partners, and the government. Reliability means that the product is of good quality and is safe to use. With ISO standards companies ensure that they meet the international standards and norms.
2. Improved Performance:
ISO standards provide organizations with the knowledge to enhance their operations to be able to get better results. This also helps them to keep their customer satisfied and add new working practices to their organization for improved results.
3. Increased revenue:
ISO certificate helps an organization to increase its sales and revenue. Once a business becomes ISO recognized it can promote its quality certification as well as answer to requests for quotes from firms. Many multinational corporations require suppliers to be ISO certified so that they are sure of the quality of the product. This is especially important if you enter foreign markets.
4. Risk reduction:
One of the main advantages of ISO is that they prepare an organization for the worst. Organizations are better prepared to deal with risk and turn a problem into an opportunity. They help organizations to understand how to handle risk and find solutions in difficult situations.
5. Sustainability:
ISO ensures that organizations follow sustainable practices and help improve the environment. ISO keeps a check on how an organization uses its energy and resources to better control its waste.
6. Better quality:
ISO standards help the organization to improve the quality of their services, increase efficacy in managing projects, and also reach new markets as services should be compatible with international standards. Consumers also prefer purchasing products with the international standard logo. Products with International standard logo increase confidence amongst customers.
How does a business become ISO certified?
- A company to get ISO certified needs to build and implement a quality management system in line with the latest ISO standards. The company has to get an audit performed to mark the quality of your quality management system.
- An ISO certificate requires time, effort, and management from many areas of the business. Once an organization is ISO certified its results significantly improve.
What are the common ISO standards?
1. ISO 9000- Quality management
There are over 1 million organizations in over 160 countries certified to ISO 9000.
2. ISO 27000 -Information security management system
It ensures the safety of information assets. There are about 35,000 certificates issued for this certification.
3. ISO 14000- Environmental management
More than 3,00,000 lakh certificates have been issued for this certification.
4. ISO 31000 - Risk management
This standard is not used for certification, but it provides a layout for risk mitigation and turning risks into opportunities.
5. ISO 45001 - Occupational health and safety
This ISO provides a layout to improve safety in working conditions and reduce hazards at working places.
CONCLUSION:
The above article covers everything you need to know about International standard organization or ISO. The article covers everything such as what is ISO and what does it stand for, the benefits of ISO, how was it formed, and some of the common ISO standards.
