What is ISO? Full collection of the latest ISO standards

ISO is an important and increasingly emphasized content. An organization that achieves ISO standards will contribute to enhancing its competitiveness in the market by demonstrating its capability through meeting the issued standards. So, what is ISO? How many ISO standards are commonly used today? Let's follow the content below with Eurorack.

What is ISO?

ISO stands for International Organization for Standardization. It translates to an international standardization organization. Established in Switzerland in 1947, the organization's purpose is to promote international quality by establishing standards and norms applied globally. For companies aiming to bring their products and services to the global market and likely to receive approval from importing countries, meeting the standards set by the organization is crucial.

Definition of ISO standards

Unlike ISO, ISO standards is a general name for a set of internationally standardized rules. They are issued to serve businesses aiming to achieve ISO certification for smoother and more efficient trading, buying, and selling of goods between countries and domestic businesses. At the same time, they open up a vast market opportunity.

What fields is ISO used in?

ISO has been built and developed for over 70 years since its establishment (1947 – 2023). Up to now, ISO has published more than 20,000 different standards to assess the quality of products and services in various industries such as manufacturing, engineering technology, food processing, logistics services, agriculture, environment, etc.

However, there is a note you need to understand. Depending on the field, the ISO standards will be established separately to be more appropriate. For instance, in the field of mechanical product manufacturing, the standards required include durability, lifespan, practical application, and user safety. On the other hand, ISO standards applied to the entire business must meet criteria including production, human resource management, applied technology, etc.

Which organization certifies ISO standards?

Vietnam is the 77th country out of 180 countries where ISO has appeared and been applied. Depending on the country, the organization that inspects and certifies ISO standards will be performed by ISO members or will select and authorize a representative unit.

In the Vietnamese market, there are currently many units providing this service such as: Vinacontrol CE, BSI, SGS, Quacert Vietnam, Bureau Veritas, Quatest, etc. The organization of inspection and certification is very important, contributing to the reputation and value of the business. Therefore, choose a reputable unit for yourself.

Top 6 latest ISO standards

Below are the 6 ISO standards used to evaluate and recognize the quality of a product or service from various fields. When a company achieves this certification, it will have higher competitiveness, and the brand value will also increase.

ISO 9000 – Management System Standards

ISO 9000 is a set of standards reflecting the quality of the management system, applicable to all types of businesses. The content of this standard includes process guidance, as well as technological equipment, machinery supporting the production process aimed at achieving good product quality. At the same time, upgrading features and adding rules to manage customer relationships better, thereby improving service quality effectively.

ISO 9001 - Quality Management Standards

ISO 9001 is a quality management standard that many units register for today. Its content mainly focuses on activities to improve operational efficiency, thereby achieving desired results.

Among them, 9001:2015 is the most typical standard. It helps manufacturing companies affirm the quality of their products and services, ensuring that products provided to the market have the highest stability. This meets the needs and assures customers during the usage process.

>>> See now: ISO 9001:2015 compliant steel pallet manufacturing process.

ISO 13485 – Medical Industry Standards

ISO 13485 is a set of standards issued specifically for the medical industry, aiming to control and evaluate the quality of medical devices suitable for each disease and safe for both the user and the patient. The characteristic of this standard is that it is applied throughout the design, production, storage, transportation, and use of the device.

ISO 14001 – Environmental Standards

ISO 14001 is an international standard applied to general environmental management. For businesses aiming to operate on a multinational or global scale, the environmental management ISO criteria are very important and considered mandatory. The goal is to reduce the amount of harmful substances and emissions released into the environment.

ISO 22000 – Food Standards

This set of standards is applied to control and evaluate the quality of food hygiene and safety. Suppliers wishing to have their products appear in supermarkets, chain stores, or for export must meet ISO 22000 criteria. This is to reject products that may harbor diseases, contain harmful chemicals, or have chemical concentrations exceeding regulations, posing health risks.

ISO 45001 – Safety Standards

This is a management system established to ensure occupational health and safety. By issuing several policies and regulations on the effective use of labor resources, it creates a safe working environment, eliminates risks that may occur, affecting the lives or causing injuries to employees, and damaging related products or equipment.

In addition to the ISO certifications mentioned, there are many other standards. If none of the above content suits your field of activity, you can learn more about some other ISO standards such as:

• ISO 7810 – Credit and debit card standards.
• ISO 9126 – Software quality model standards.
• ISO 3082 – Iron ore standards.
• ISO 3506 – Corrosion resistance standards for screws.
• ISO 5775 – Bicycle tire and rim standards.
• Hot-dip galvanizing quality evaluation standards.

Thus, in this article, Eurorack has clearly explained the meaning of what ISO is? Besides, it also mentions the 6 popular ISO standards currently applied in specific fields for you to have a better understanding. Achieving certification requires a lot of effort to meet stringent standards. However, when obtained, it means the brand value of the business will be enhanced, opening up greater opportunities for development.