Also called international standard
What is ISO?
The international body that publishes worldwide standards, made up of the national standards bodies of its member countries.
What else it is called
- Other names
- international standard
- In French
- ISO
Related entries
Understanding international Organization for Standardization
An international organization whose members are the national standards bodies of around 170 countries, publishing standards intended to work across borders. Its best known documents in manufacturing are the quality management standard, the environmental management standard and a large body of technical standards covering dimensioning, materials and test methods.
A phrase worth correcting: the organization certifies nothing. It publishes the standard, independent registrars audit companies against it, and those registrars are themselves accredited by national bodies. A company saying it is "ISO certified" means a registrar has certified it to one of the standards, and the useful follow-up question is which standard and which registrar.
Canada participates through the Standards Council of Canada, and many international standards are adopted here as national standards, which is why the same document can appear with both a Canadian and an international designation.
In practice
When a customer asks whether you are "ISO certified", ask which standard they mean. Usually it is the quality management standard, but environmental and information security requirements are increasingly in supplier questionnaires.
Frequently asked
Does ISO certify companies?
No. It writes standards. Certification is done by independent registrars, and those registrars are accredited by national accreditation bodies. In Canada that accreditation runs through the Standards Council of Canada.
Why is it called ISO when the initials do not match?
Because the initials would differ in every language, the organization adopted a single short form used everywhere, derived from the Greek for equal. It is a name rather than an acronym, which is why it is not expanded in its own publications.