ISO And The UN - Working Together For International Standardization

liaisonsISO and the UNWorking together forinternational standardization

ISO has been actively engagedwith the United Nations (UN) since1947. The long-established historyof collaboration between the twoorganizations has been essentialto tackling global challengesand will continue to be aPhoto : UN – François Vioudtransformative force in the future,Standard :Document, established by consensus and approvedby a recognized body, that provides, for common andrepeated use, rules, guidelines or characteristics foractivities or their results, aimed at the achievement ofthe optimum degree of order in a given context.Source : ISO/IEC Guide 2:2004, Standardization and relatedactivities – General vocabularyas we pursue the implementationof the UN’s SustainableDevelopment Goals.ISO is proud of the close relationship its technical committeesenjoy with the United Nations. UN organizations participatein many ISO committees over a wide range of sectors (refer topage 8).The active involvement of UN experts shaping ISO standardsand supporting their implementation is central to achievingworldwide success. ISO hopes to extend this cooperation inyears to come.ISO and the UN – 1

In addition, ISO works with more than 700 international and regional organizations to develop andpublish international standards and other deliverablesfor products, services, processes, conformity assess“ Closer cooperation with ISOis essential [ ] to be alignedand correctly interlinked forthe benefit of governments,businesses and traders aroundthe world.”Photo : UNMichael Møller, Director-Generalof the United Nations Officeat Genevament, managerial and organizational practice. Witha collection of more than 22 000 standards spanningpractically every sector, ISO is the leading producer ofinternational standards.Because ISO standards are developed in a multistakeholder environment, this ensures that a widerange of technical views are represented, including those relating to social and economic interests.To this end, this brochure is aimed at UN organizations that wantto know how ISO works, what are the benefits of internationalstandardization, and how to get involved.What makes ISO so special ?The need for truly global standards has expanded as new markets,new actors and new powerful economies emerge. ISO providestailored mechanisms to establish international consensus thatresult in globally and market-relevant standards. Organized as aworldwide network of more than 160 national standards bodies(with one member per country), ISO invests considerable efforts toensure that all members can effectively participate in internationalstandardization, for example by providing extensive training andtechnical assistance programmes for developing countries.2 – ISO and the UNISO and the UN – 3

The international standards developed by ISO are voluntary. Andwhile they do not seek to establish, drive or motivate public policy,regulations, or social or political agendas, they can certainly providevaluable support to the implementation of public policy.Source  : Using and referencing ISO and IEC standards to support public policyDifferent perspectives come from thenational level, through a networkof liaisons and cooperation withinternational governmental and nongovernmental organizations. Thanksto this robust process, ISO standardsreflect a double layer of consensus –among experts from market players atthe drafting stages of the standards,and among countries at the formalISO standardsare key tools thatcan be used totackle challenges.commenting and voting stages of thestandards.How can ISO standardscontribute to advancingthe 2030 Agenda ?4 – ISO and the UNISO standards are key tools that can be used to tacklethese challenges, because they promote the development and deployment of innovative technologies andsupport the three pillars of sustainable development :economic sustainability by facilitating internationalSociety today faces many challengestrade, improving a country’s national quality infra-that cut across national borders, andstructure and supporting sustainable business prac-which cannot be solved by one com-tices ; social sustainability by helping countries andpany, individual or government alone.communities to improve the health and well-being ofMany of these challenges appear in thetheir citizens ; and environmental sustainability bySustainable Development Goals as parthelping businesses and countries manage their envi-of the 2030 Agenda.ronmental impact.ISO and the UN – 5

How to get involvedISO standards are developed in specialized technical committees,in which partner organizations can participate as liaisons free ofcharge. Liaison status comes with a range of benefits from simplymonitoring a committee’s activity, to proposing new projects, participating in the drafting of standards or even leading the work.“ An integrated global economy,with a strong and dynamicmultilateral trading system,For details on the different categories of liaison in ISO, the eligibility criteria, rights and obligations of each, and the approvalprocess, see Clause 1.17 of the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 1.Photo : WTO/ Cuika Fotosupported by internationalstandards, is a better world foreveryone. ”Alan Wolff, Deputy Director General,World Trade OrganizationPolicy makers canThe World Trade Organization’s (WTO)have confidence usingTrade (TBT) recognizes the key roleISO standards.in regulatory harmonization and tradeAgreement on Technical Barriers tothat international standards can playfacilitation and instructs its membersto use them as a basis for their nationaltechnical regulations and conformityassessment procedures. This meansthat policy makers can have confidencewhen using ISO standards to supporttheir policy initiatives that they arefulfilling their WTO obligations and notcreating any technical barriers to trade.6 – ISO and the UNISO and the UN – 7

UN agencies already participating in the devel-opment of ISO standards include : FAOFood and AgricultureOrganization of theUnited NationsNeed more informationor assistance ?Further details on ISO’s technicalcommittees, their scopes andmembership are available onthe ISO Websiteat www.iso.org/technicalcommittees.html.If you have any questions,ISO’s external relations teamwill be happy to help.Please contact the team atexternalrelations@iso.org.8 – ISO and the UN ICAOInternational Civil AviationOrganization ILOInternational LabourOrganization IMOInternational MaritimeOrganization ITUInternationalTelecommunication Union UN HabitatUnited Nations Centre forHuman Settlements UNCTADUnited Nations Conferenceon Trade and Development UNDPUnited NationsDevelopment Programme UNECAUnited Nations EconomicCommission for Africa UNECEUnited Nations EconomicCommission for Europe UNEPUnited Nations EnvironmentProgramme UNESCAPUnited Nations Economicand Social Commission forAsia and the Pacific UNESCO UNESCWAUnited Nations Educational,Scientific and CulturalOrganizationUnited Nations Economicand Social Commissionfor Western Asia UNFCCCUnited Nations Framework Conventionon Climate Change UNFPAUnited Nations Population Fund UNGEGNUnited Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names UNGIWGUnited Nations Geographic Information Working Group UNICEFUnited Nations Children’s Fund UNIDOUnited Nations Industrial Development Organization UNISDRUnited Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction UNWTOWorld Tourism Organization UPUUniversal Postal Union WHOWorld Health Organization WIPOWorld Intellectual Property Organization WMOWorld Meteorological OrganizationFor the full list of organizations in cooperation with ISO, see html.ISO and the UN – 9

About ISOISO (International Organization for Standardization)is an independent, non-governmental internationalorganization with a membership of 161* nationalstandards bodies. Through its members, it bringstogether experts to share knowledge and developvoluntary, consensus-based, market-relevant International Standards that support innovation andprovide solutions to global challenges.ISO has published more than 22 000* InternationalStandards and related documents covering almostevery industry, from technology to food safety, toagriculture and healthcare.For more information, please visit www.iso.org.*August 2018International Organizationfor StandardizationISO Central SecretariatCh. de Blandonnet 8Case Postale 401CH – 1214 Vernier, GenevaSwitzerlandiso.org ISO, 2018All rights reservedISBN 978-92-67-10820-9

Commission for Africa UNECE United Nations Economic Commission for Europe UNEP United Nations Environment Programme UNESCAP United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific UNESCO United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization will be happy to help. UNESCWA United Nations Economic and .