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Pic 1. In London, in 1946, 65 delegates from 25 countries meet to discuss the future of International Standardization. In 1947, ISO officially came into existence with 67 technical committees (groups of experts focusing on a specific subject).
A brief history of ISO
A brief history of ISO
Standards are important in international trade because incongruent standards can be barriers to trade, giving some organizations advantages in certain areas of the world. Standards provide clear identifiable references that are recognized internationally and encourage fair competition in free-market economies. Standards facilitate trade through enhanced product quality and reliability, greater interoperability and compatibility, greater ease of maintenance and reduced costs. ISO covers a wide variety of standards with the exception of electrical and electronic engineering standards, which are covered by the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), telecommunication standards, which are covered by the International Telegraph Union (ITU), and information technology, which are covered by JTC 1 (a joint committee between ISO and IEC).
The organization which today is known as ISO began in 1926 as the International Federation of the National Standardizing Associations (ISA). This organization focused heavily on mechanical engineering. It was disbanded in 1942 during the second World War but was re-organized under the current name, ISO, in 1946.
Even the name of the organization is standardized. The name, "ISO" is not an acronym but was derived from the Greek word "isos" meaning "equal" (if two objects meet the same standard, they should be equal). This name eliminates any confusion that could result from the translation of "International Organization For Standardization" into different languages, as this could also lead to different acronyms.
Structure
Structure
A standard definition is a formally established term. Standard units in physics and applied mathematics are commonly accepted measurements of physical quantities. The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) is an international standard-setting body composed of representatives from various national standards organizations.
Founded on 23 February, 1947, the organization promotes worldwide proprietary, industrial, and commercial standards. It is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, and operates in 165 countries. Both the name ISO and the ISO logo are registered trademarks and their use is restricted.
ISO is a voluntary organization whose members have recognized authorities on standards, each one representing one country. Members meet annually at a General Assembly to discuss the strategic objectives of ISO. The organization is coordinated by a central secretariat based in Geneva. The technical management board is responsible for more than 250 technical committees, which develop the ISO standards.
The organization which today is known as ISO began in 1926 as the International Federation of the National Standardizing Associations (ISA). This organization focused heavily on mechanical engineering. It was disbanded in 1942 during the second World War but was re-organized under the current name, ISO, in 1946.
International standards are the main products of ISO. It also publishes technical reports, technical specifications, publicly available specifications, technical corrigenda, and guides.
Document copyright
Document copyright
ISO documents have strict copyright restrictions, and ISO charges for most copies. As of 2020, a single copy of an ISO standard cost at least $120. It does not, however, charge for most draft copies of documents in electronic format. Although they are useful, care must be taken using these drafts as there is the possibility of substantial change before they become finalized as standards. Some standards by ISO and its official U.S. representative (and, via the U.S. National Committee, the International Electrotechnical Commission) are made freely available.
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