What is ISO?
ISO is the abbreviation for the International Organization for Standardization, which is an independent international NGO that globally sets recognized standards for a range of principles for a given process to ensure uniform and high quality.
ISO is the designation for internationally recognized standards that contribute to a uniform way of viewing and acting on everything from processes, quality, safety, health to technologies and digital devices in a wide range of areas.
ISO has existed since 1946
ISO stands for International Organization for Standardization, which is an independent NGO (non-governmental organization) that was established in 1946 shortly after the end of World War II. Its predecessor was called ISA (International Federation of the National Standardizing Associations), which was suspended during World War II in 1942. After the war, the newly established UN body UNSCC (United Nations Standards Coordinating Committee) approached ISA to establish a new international standard.
The abbreviation ISO does not match the full name, which is because it is abbreviated depending on the different languages of the member countries. The founders of the organization chose ISO as a common designation across languages, which was reportedly chosen as a derivative of the Greek word “isos,” meaning equal or equality.
ISO has 25,000 international standards and 171 member countries
As of 2024, ISO has published more than 25,000 standards, covering standards in virtually all conceivable areas from product manufacturing, technologies, and food safety to transport, IT, and sustainability, and much more.
In total, 171 countries are represented and recognize ISO standards. In addition, there are so-called corresponding and subscribing member countries. In Denmark, ISO is represented by Dansk Standard, which exclusively approves the international ISO standards for implementation in Danish standards.
Companies are endorsed as safe and quality-conscious with ISO
In recent times, ISO has become synonymous with an endorsed recognition of a company’s ability to comply with and maintain principles in operations that, for example, ensure high and consistent quality, recognize environmentally friendly initiatives, or ensure a healthy and safe working environment.
When a company is certified, it is often a signal to customers, suppliers, and other partners that the company acts responsibly in a number of areas. At the same time, the trend is that companies increasingly want their suppliers and partners to work according to the same principles.
Hans Buch is ISO certified
At Hans Buch, we continuously work to achieve new ISO certifications that document our internal processes and workflows according to recognized standards that support the quality, safety, and health we desire for ourselves and as a company, while we also encourage our suppliers and partners to comply.
At the time of writing, Hans Buch has acquired and maintained the following ISO certifications:
- Quality Management (ISO 9001) – since 1994
- Environmental Management (ISO 14001) – since 2021
- Occupational Health and Safety Management (ISO 45001) – since 2024
In addition to the three certifications, Hans Buch values partners who follow and are certified according to the standards for social responsibility (ISO 26000) and energy management (ISO 50001). You can find documentation for Hans Buch’s ISO certifications, our code of conduct, as well as a range of other basic information about Hans Buch here: “Basic information about Hans Buch as a supplier“
List: Popular and widespread ISO standards
This list is not exhaustive but illustrates a selection of the ISO standards that ISO itself has highlighted as popular and most widespread standards. In addition, standards are highlighted that in recent times seek to address challenges that affect not only industry and corporate behavior but the international community as a whole in a common direction:
- ISO 6: Camera film speed
- ISO 639: Language code
- ISO 20121: Sustainable event management
- ISO 3166: Country codes
- ISO 4217: Currency codes
- ISO 8601: Date and time format
- ISO 9001: Quality management
- ISO 9660: ISO images for computer files
- ISO 13216: ISOFIX child seats for cars
- ISO 13485: Medical devices
- ISO 14000 family: Environmental management
- ISO/IEC 17025: Testing and calibration laboratories
- ISO 22000: Food safety management
- ISO 26000: Social responsibility
- ISO/IEC 27000 family: Information security management
- ISO 31000: Risk management
- ISO 37001: Anti-bribery management systems
- ISO 45001 and related standards: Occupational health and safety
- ISO 50001: Energy management
Related standards and international collaborations between ISO and other bodies
The wide range of ISO standards covers all technical and non-technical areas except for the electrical, which falls under IEC (International Electrotechnical Commission) and ITU (International Telecommunication Union). Since 2001, the three bodies ISO, IEC, and ITU have worked together under the designation WSC (World Standards Cooperation).
Sources
- ISO.org:
https://www.iso.org/ - Dansk Standard: “ISO”:
https://www.ds.dk/da/udvalg/internationalt/internationalt-samarbejde/iso - Den Store Danske – lex.dk: “ISO”:
https://denstoredanske.lex.dk/ISO
