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Who ISO is
ISO
is a network of the national standards institutes of 147 countries,
on the basis of one member per country, with a Central Secretariat
in Geneva, Switzerland, that coordinates the system.
ISO is a non-governmental organization:
its members are not, as is the case in the United Nations system,
delegations of national governments. Nevertheless, ISO occupies
a special position between the public and private sectors. This
is because, on the one hand, many of its member institutes are
part of the governmental structure of their countries, or are
mandated by their government. On the other hand, other members
have their roots uniquely in the private sector, having been
set up by national partnerships of industry associations.
Therefore, ISO is able to
act as a bridging organization in which a consensus can be reached
on solutions that meet both the requirements of business and
the broader needs of society, such as the needs of stakeholder
groups like consumers and users.
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What ISO's name means
Because "International Organization
for Standardization" would have different abbreviations
in different languages ("IOS" in English, "OIN"
in French for Organisation internationale de normalisation),
it was decided at the outset to use a word derived from the
Greek isos, meaning "equal". Therefore, whatever the
country, whatever the language, the short form of the organization's
name is always ISO.
ISO
9000 is concerned with "quality management". This
means what the organization does to enhance customer satisfaction
by meeting customer and applicable regulatory requirements and
continually to improve its performance in this regard. ISO 14000
is primarily concerned with "environmental management".
This means what the organization does to minimize harmful effects
on the environment caused by its activities, and continually
to improve its environmental performance.
What exactly
is an ISO standard?
An ISO standard is a documented
agreement that serves as the guidelines, specifications or definitions
to ensure that a particular product, service or process fits
its intended purpose.
Why do we need International Standardization?
International standardization
ensures a set of industry-wide criteria that apply consistently
to material classification, product manufacture and service
provision.
International Standards provide a common reference point to
facilitate trade and transfer of technology between suppliers
and their customers.
How is ISO Compliance different
from ISO Certification?
ISO Compliance is based on an
internal assessment of the company's Quality System. It is the
manufacturer's or supplier's guarantee of meeting the intended
standards. ISO certification, on the other hand, is awarded
after a formal audit by an independent registrar.
What is ISO 9000: 2000?
ISO 9000: 2000 is a revised quality
management standard issued by the International Organization
of Standards, a network of the national and international standards
institutes of about 130 countries. The ISO 9000 family of international
quality management standards and guidelines has earned a global
reputation as the basis for establishing quality management
systems.
What is ISO 9001: 2000?
ISO 9001:2000 specifies requirements
for a quality management system for any organization that needs
to demonstrate its ability to consistently provide product that
meets customer and applicable regulatory requirements and aims
to enhance customer satisfaction.
ISO 9001:2000 has been organized
in a user-friendly format with terms that are easily recognized
by all business sectors. The standard is used for certification/registration
and contractual purposes by organizations seeking recognition
of their quality management system.
For
more information about the ISO standards, visit www.iso.ch |
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