ISO is an independent, non-governmental organization made up of members from the national standards bodies of 164 countries. Our members play a vital role in how we operate, meeting once a year for a General Assembly that decides our strategic objectives.

We have a Central Secretariat in Geneva, Switzerland, that coordinates the system. Operations at the Central Secretariat are directed by the Secretary General.

The General Assembly

The General Assembly is the ultimate authority for our work. This annual meeting is attended by our members (full members) and our Principal Officers, including the President, the Vice President (policy), the Vice President (technical management), the Treasurer and the Secretary General.

The ISO Council

The ISO Council takes care of most governance issues. It meets twice a year and is made up of 20 member bodies. Membership to the Council is open to all member bodies and rotates to make sure it is representative of the member community.

Under the Council are a number of bodies that provide guidance and management on specific issues.

CASCO - provides guidance on conformity assessments
COPOLCO - provides guidance on consumer issues
DEVCO - provides guidance on matters related to developing countries
Council Standing Committees - advise on financial and strategic matters
Ad hoc Advisory Committees - can be established to advance the goals and strategic objectives of the organization

Technical Management Board

The management of the technical work is taken care of by the Technical Management Board. This body is also responsible for the technical committees that lead standard development and any strategic advisory boards created on technical matters.

ISO Central Secretariat

The General Assembly and the Council map out ISO’s strategic direction. However, day to day operations are run by the Central Secretariat in Geneva, Switzerland. The Central Secretariat is under the direction of the Secretary General, who is also one of our Principal Officers.

Click on the image below to enlarge the diagram of ISO's structure

Partners

We work closely with two other international standards development organizations, the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) and International Telecommunication Union (ITU). In 2001, ISO, IEC and ITU formed the World Standards Cooperation (WSC) in order to strengthen the standards systems of the three organisations. The WSC also promotes the adoption and implementation of international consensus-based standards worldwide.

In addition, we also have a close relationship with the World Trade Organization (WTO) which particularly appreciates the contribution of International Standards to reducing technical barriers to trade.

ISO also works with United Nations partners. For example, we liaise with UN specialized agencies that do technical harmonization or technical assistance, including the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC).

In total, ISO collaborates with over 700 international, regional and national organisations. These organisations take part in the standard development process as well as sharing expertise and best practices.