Is a worldwide federation of national standards bodies who form technical committees for the preparation of International Standards. Each member body interested in a subject for whom a technical committee has been established has the right to be represented on that committee, which includes governmental and non-governmental organisations.
Publication of an International Standard requires approval by at least 75% of the members casting a vote.
Introduction
Organisations of all kinds are increasingly concerned with achieving and demonstrating sound performance by controlling their risks, consistent with their policies and objectives. They do so in the context of increasingly stringent legislation, the development of economic policies and other measures that foster good practices.
Many organisations have undertaken management “reviews” or “audits” to assess their own performance. On their own, however, these “reviews” and “audits” may not be sufficient to provide an organisation with the assurance that its performance not only meets, but will continue to meet, its legal and policy requirements. To be effective, they need to be conducted within structured management systems which are integrated within the organisation.
ISO Standards, which include Quality (9001), Environmental (14001) and OH&S (18001) management, are intended to provide organisations with the elements of effective management systems that can be integrated with other management requirements and help organisations achieve economic and other objectives. These International Standards are intended to assist an organisation and not create trade barriers or to increase or change an organisation’s legal obligations.