Developing Standards

It takes a lot of people working together to develop an International Standard. Independent technical experts begin the process with the development of a draft that meets a market need within a specific area. The draft is then shared for commenting and further discussion.

If consensus can be achieved, then the draft is on its way to becoming an International Standard. If agreement isn't reached then the draft will be modified further. From first proposal to final publication, developing an International Standard usually takes about 3 years.

Want to Get Involved in Standards Development?

International Standards are created by the people who use them.

You can be part of the next generation of standards. Taking part can give you early access to industry information, give your company a voice in the development of standards and help to keep market access open. Find out more about getting involved in the development of International Standards.

ISO 27000

Respond to a Need in the Market
International Standards are generally developed due to a request from industry or other stakeholders such as consumer groups. Typically, an industry sector or group communicates the need for a standard to its national standards board (for example, ANSI in the USA) who then contacts ISO.

Based on Global Expert Opinion
International Standards are developed by groups of experts from all over the world, that are part of larger groups called technical committees. These experts negotiate all aspects of the standard, including its scope, key definitions and content.

Developed through a Multi-Stakeholder Process
The technical committees are made up of experts from the relevant industry, but also from consumer associations, academia, NGOs and government. There are more than 250 technical committees.

Based on Consensus
Developing International Standards is a consensus-based approach and comments from all stakeholders are taken into account.