The Global Standards System: How ISO Shapes Quality, Safety, and Operational Excellence
The purpose, structure, and development process behind ISO standards and how organisations use them to meet rising expectations.
What are ISO Standards?
ISO (International Organization for Standardization) develops and publishes international standards that ensure quality, safety, and efficiency across industries worldwide.
Key Points:
- International Consensus: Standards developed by experts from member countries
- Voluntary Adoption: Organizations choose to implement standards
- Regular Updates: Standards are reviewed and updated periodically
- Cross-Industry: Cover everything from quality management to environmental practices
How ISO Certification Works
- Choose Relevant Standards - Identify which ISO standards apply to your business
- Implement Requirements - Adapt your processes to meet the standard's requirements
- Internal Audit - Verify compliance through self-assessment
- Certification Audit - Third-party auditor reviews your implementation
- Maintain Certification - Ongoing surveillance audits ensure continued compliance
Why Finding the Right Standards is Challenging
With over 24,000 ISO standards covering virtually every industry, finding the ones relevant to your specific business can be overwhelming:
- Technical language makes standards hard to understand
- Multiple standards may apply to the same business area
- New and updated standards are released regularly
- Industry-specific requirements vary by region
How ISO Explorer Helps
Our AI-powered search makes it simple:
- Describe your business in plain English
- Get matched standards with relevance explanations
- Understand requirements with AI-generated summaries
- Track your compliance journey in one place
Find the Right Standards
Describe your business and we'll identify relevant standards.