Developing an ISO standard is a collaborative process that involves many experts working together like a symphony orchestra, with ISO acting as the conductor to coordinate this complex effort. The journey begins when a market need or a stakeholder group, such as an industry sector or consumer association, requests a new standard. Typically, this need is communicated to ISO through the national member body from the relevant country.
ISO standards development involves global expert opinion and a multi-stakeholder process. Experts nominated by ISO members form technical committees focused on specific fields. These committees include representatives from industry, consumer groups, academia, non-governmental organizations, and government authorities. These experts negotiate and draft the standard, covering its scope, definitions, and content.
A draft standard is then circulated for comments and further discussion. The voting process is central to reaching consensus. If agreement is achieved, the draft moves closer to becoming an official ISO standard. When consensus is not reached, the draft is modified and subjected to additional rounds of voting and review.
The entire process from proposal to final publication usually takes about three years. Throughout the year, around 26 technical meetings occur worldwide, ensuring continuous expert collaboration.
Key principles guiding ISO standard development are:
Responding to a market need: ISO does not initiate standards itself but reacts to requests from stakeholders reflecting real-world needs.
Global expert involvement: Standards are crafted by international groups of experts within technical committees.
Multi-stakeholder participation: Various interests, including industry, consumers, academia, NGOs, and governments, contribute to the process.
Consensus-based approval: The final standard results from agreement among all involved parties.
ISO encourages participation from individuals and organizations using or affected by standards. Taking part in standards development offers many benefits, including early access to information, a voice in shaping standards, and opportunities to support market access.
This multi-year, consensus-driven development process ensures that ISO standards are practical, relevant, and globally accepted.
Learn more: https://www.iso.org/developing-standards.html