116688429 iso membership manual 2012

Make the most of ISO !

ISO membership manual

Table of contents

Introduction ........................................................................ IntroWhat is this manual for ? ................................................ Intro /3Why is being a member of ISO important ? . Intro /5

What you need to know about ISO ......... IThe ISO standards development system ................. I /3The ISO family .............................................................................. I /5Why get involved ? ...................................................................... I /7Why ISO International Standards ? ............................ I /11How are International Standards developed ? .... I /13What about developing countries ? .............................. I /15How does ISO work with stakeholders ? ................ I /17What is “ conformity assessment ” ? ............................. I /21

What benefits do I get as an ISO member ? ............................................................. II

The key benefits of ISO membership ........................ II /3How can I access and influence the ISO system ? ............................................................................ II /7How can I influence the development of ISO policy ? ................................................................................ II /9How can I influence ISO governance ? .................... II /11How can I benefit from ISO tools and services ? .. II /15How can I benefit from ISO IT tools and services ? ..................................................................................... II /19What about training and development ? ................ II /23

Membership manual

What help can I get from the ISO Central Secretariat ? ............. III

Strategic planning ........................................................................ III /5Economic and social benefits of standards ........... III /6ISO training and development ....................................... III /7Developing standards ............................................................... III /8IT support and e-Services .................................................... III /9Marketing ISO standards and publications ......... III /9ISO legal adviser ........................................................................... III /10ISO membership team ............................................................ III /10How do I apply for ISO membership ? ................... III /13Upgrading ISO membership ............................................. III /15ISO membership fees ............................................................... III /17

As an ISO member, what are my rights and obligations ? ...... IV

Representing standardization in your country ..... IV /5Selling ISO standards and protecting ISO intellectual property .......................... IV /7Responsible participation in ISO .................................. IV /9Participating in standards development work ..... IV /11Consultation and consensus-building ...................... IV /13Meeting committee service agreements ................... IV /15

Membership manual

Introduction Intro

Intro / 1 Membership manual

Membership manual Intro / 2

What is this manual for ? Intro /

This manual is a “ one-stop shop ” giving ISO members an overview of the benefits that ISO membership brings. It aims to help you maximize : your investment in being an ISO member ; and your participation in developing International Standards that contribute global solutions to the challenges facing the international community.


Why is being a member of ISO important ? Intro /

Standards impact an estimated 80 % of world commodity trade. If you are not an active member of ISO, you are letting others decide how standards are set and under what conditions your country participates in international trade. Active ISO membership makes economic sense for national standards bodies (NSB) and their stakeholders – who include business, government and society as a whole, especially consumers. Being an ISO member can potentially bring infinite national returns on a finite investment.

ISO members therefore need to participate fully and actively in the ISO system to maximize the economic and social benefits of international standardization. We need to strengthen ISO as an inclusive organization, where all members have a role to play and whose individual contributions enhance the ISO system as a whole.

To ensure global relevance and acceptance worldwide, ISO International Standards need to be developed according to good standardization practice and by a broad group of stakeholders, including experts from industry, business,


governmental and regulatory agencies, consumer organizations, testing laboratories and academia. All ISO members must follow good standardiza-tion practice and apply systems that are open, transparent, inclusive, impartial, effective, relevant, coherent, viable and stable.

Governments and business leaders need to understand more clearly how ISO International Standards can :• Contribute to economic prosperity and

growth• Provide economic benefits and cost savings

across industries• Increase profit• Support the pursuit of innovation• Tackle the three dimensions of sustainable

development – economic, environmental and societal

We need to do more collectively to help get that message across loud and clear to all our stakeholders.

These are the kinds of challenges that ISO and its members face in the 21st century. The ISO Central Secretariat plays a key role in supporting


ISO members and stakeholders in confronting these challenges. I want this first edition of ISO Membership Manual to be a further step towards better equipping you, the ISO members, with the knowledge and expertise you need to maximize your participation and achieve excellence in our work.

The manual consolidates information from useful ISO publications providing essential guidance on participation. With your feedback, we can continue to improve this manual and tailor it more precisely to your needs.

Please let me know if you find the contents useful and if there are other topics you would like us to add in the future.

Rob Steele ISO Secretary-General


Chapter I

What you need to know

about ISO I

I / 1 Membership manual

Membership manual I / 2

The ISO standards development system

I /

ISO, the International Organization for Standardization, is the world’s largest developer and publisher of International Standards – more than 19 100 at the end of May 2012. ISO provides the platform on which consensus is reached on International Standards that meet business, governmental and societal needs.

ISO is a network of national standards bodies, one per country (164 of them in May 2012). Each member is the most representative body for standardization in their country and a focal point for ISO activities. ISO members represent their country’s standardization interests in the ISO System. Many ISO members are part of the government structure of their countries, or are mandated by government. Others are private sector organizations often set up by national partnerships of industry associations.

The ISO Central Secretariat in Geneva, Switz-erland – ISO/CS – provides strategic, technical and administrative support to all ISO members. We coordinate the decentralized standards development process carried out by ISO members, and we publish


the output as ISO International Standards. We provide the secretariat for ISO governing bodies, ISO policy development committees and their subsidiary bodies as well as other key services (see Chapter III).

The ISO system is like a tree – all parts are interdependent. The roots of the tree are the ISO members. Members anchor the ISO system across the globe and provide funding and experts to make the system work. The ISO Central Secretariat is the tree trunk. It provides the central axis for the ISO system, supporting the branches while directly attached to the roots. ISO technical committees are the branches. They provide support for the leaves : the ISO technical experts. The fruits are ISO International Standards which foster global trade and industry competitiveness, and provide revenue to ISO members and ISO/CS.

The ISO system is guided by a Strategic Plan approved for a five-year period by ISO members. The Strategic Plan pays special attention to developing countries, which represent three quarters of ISO membership, addressing their concerns through the Action plan for developing countries.


http://www.iso.org/iso/iso_strategic_plan_2011-2015.pdf

http://www.iso.org/iso/iso_action_plan_developingcountries-2011-2015.pdf

The ISO family I /

Every day, everywhere, the ISO family is contributing to the development, promotion or implementation of ISO standards.

Although ISO International Standards are primarily thought of as technical documents, they are developed through the very human efforts of a worldwide network that we often refer to as “ the ISO family ”. This is because the effort of cooperating and working together draws us together as people and creates links and friendships.

Many thousands of people participate in ISO to develop practical solutions to many of the global challenges facing the international community. ISO members make this possible through their inputs at technical, managerial and governance levels, providing national delegations and hosting meetings. You can read more about ISO people and what they do in our publications Joining in and My ISO job.

“ The work you do – the work of setting standards – is cru-cial for international trade… Please see this message as an encouragement by the WTO for the development of fur-ther International Standards. Ones that are developed transparently and in-clusively ; and which capture state-of-the-art technology.”

Pascal Lamy, Director General

of the World Trade Organization

(WTO) in a video message to the

34th ISO General Assembly

in New Delhi, India 2011.


http://www.iso.org/iso/joining_in_2007.pdf

http://www.iso.org/iso/my_iso_job.pdf

ISO and UN’s Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)

“ ISO has developed a large set of standards in the environmental field which are quite complementary with the UN/ECE norms and conventions in this area and thereby also contribute to the achievement of the MDG 7 on environmental sustainability. And there are many other examples of how ISO standards help organizations meet the MDGs.

“ For instance, ISO 26000 helps organizations achieve the benefits of operating in a socially responsible manner and is directly linked to MDG3, ‘ Gender equality ’. Thus, the core subjects and issues of social responsibility defined by ISO 26000 include human rights, labour practices, the environment, fair operating practices, consumer issues and community involvement which encompass, among other things, the principles of equal opportunities and non-discrimination.

“ ISO 9000 has an important impact on education and many educational institutions have been called upon to use these standards. It contributes to MDG2, ‘ Universal primary education’.

“ The role of International Standards in economic development has been emphasized on many occasions, more particularly with the reference to the standards in the Technical Barriers to Trade Agreement of the World Trade Organization (TBT WTO).”

Sergei A. Ordzhonikidze, Director-General (2002-2011), United Nations Office at Geneva, Switzerland.


Why get involved ? I /

You only need to take a look at the current membership of ISO to understand that being an ISO member is an important strategic move in most countries of the world. ISO International Standards bring technological, economic and societal benefits to these countries.

Then take a closer look at who participates most actively in ISO, taking on roles in the develop-ment of standards by providing secretariats for the technical committees. This information is provided in the ISO Annual Report.

These members recognize how much international standardization supports economic development and brings international trade benefits to their country. For most countries, ISO membership, through their respective NSB, is a central part of the complement of international organization memberships needed to participate in and drive the international trade system.

For governments, International Standards provide the technological and scientific bases underpinning health, safety and environmental


http://www.iso.org/iso/about/iso_members.htm

http://www.iso.org/iso/about/iso_members.htm

http://www.iso.org/iso/annual_reports

legislation and create “ a level playing field ” for all competitors in those markets. The existence of divergent national or regional standards can create technical barriers to trade and significantly increase the cost of doing business in today’s global trade arena. International Standards provide the technical basis on which political trade agreements can be put into practice, whether they are at the regional or international level.

International Standards on air, water and soil quality, on emissions of gases and radiation and environmental aspects of products can contribute to efforts to preserve the environment and the health of citizens.

For business, the widespread adoption of International Standards means that suppliers can develop and offer products and services meet-ing specifications that have wide international acceptance in their sectors. Businesses that use International Standards can compete in many more markets around the world. For innovators of new technologies, International Standards on terminology, compatibility and safety, help disseminate innovations more quickly and speed up developing them into marketable products.


For developing countries, International Standards represent international consensus and an important source of technological know-how. International Standards allow developing countries to access standards in areas where they may lack expertise and/or resources, encouraging the transfer of new technologies. By defining the characteristics that products and services are expected to meet on export markets, International Standards give developing countries a basis for making the right decisions when investing scarce resources.

For users and consumers, the worldwide compatibility of technology – achieved when products and services are based on International Standards – gives a broad choice of products. They also benefit from the effects of competition among suppliers. For consumers, conformity of products and services to International Standards provides assurance about their quality, safety and reliability.

“ We recognize standardization as a vital component of our growth en-gine, an important facilitator of trade and a major tool for protection of consumer interest.”

Prof. K. V. Thomas, India’s Minister of State

for Consumer Affairs, Food

and Public Distribution,

New Delhi 2011.


Why ISO International Standards ?

I /

ISO standards provide solutions and achieve benefits for almost all sectors of activity, including agriculture, construction, mechanical engineering, manufacturing, distribution, transport, health care, information and communication technologies, food, water, the environment, energy, quality management, conformity assessment and services.

For companies in your country to sell products overseas, those products must comply with standards. ISO International Standards therefore play an important role in companies, nations and global markets.

Standards are the tools that industry and com-merce use to achieve safety, quality, and consistency in products and processes. Buyers and sellers agree to trade following requirements and specifications based on standards in products and services.

Different standards for different markets would mean companies must create variations in their products to comply with those different standards. This is costly and counterproductive. ISO International Standards overcome these


inefficiencies and costs, and streamline the vari-ations, so companies can trade throughout the world using a common standard.

As our brochure International standards and “ private standards ” explains, not all standards are equal. International Standards developed by the ISO system follow the principles agreed by the WTO Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade. The WTO TBT principles are : transparency, openness, impartiality, consensus, effectiveness, coherence, and the concerns of developing countries – all of which ensure global relevance.

ISO members have strong links with stake-holders from industry and government, and consumers. The participation of a broad range of stakeholders coupled with robust processes in developing International Standards provide the basis for consensus across sectors and countries on international standardization. This gives a strong and unique value to ISO International Standards.


http://www.iso.org/iso/private_standards.pdf

http://www.iso.org/iso/private_standards.pdf

How are International Standards developed ? I /

ISO develops standards in response to market and stakeholder needs. These needs are usually raised through ISO members. ISO members propose new work items in existing ISO technical committees or completely new work areas. The ISO technical committee verifies the global and market relevance of the proposed item to make sure it responds to an international need and will be suitable for implementation worldwide.

Member participation in ISO technical com-mittees (and their sub-committees and working groups) evolves over time, according to national economic and social priorities. Full ISO members can be secretaries and chairs of ISO committees. Full members also enjoy maximum influence in the technical work.

Members send national delegations of experts to participate in technical committee meetings. These experts also participate in committee work using ISO's specially-designed IT tools. Full member experts have the right to speak and to vote ; correspondent member experts attend as

The world needs standards. Stand-ards help an en-terprise manage business-critical issues, such as qual-ity, environ mental performance and safety.

Sergio Marchionne,

CEO of Fiat and Chrysler Group


observers and cannot vote. Subscriber members cannot attend technical committee meetings (unless invited by another delegation), but can stay informed about standards of interest to them.

When developing standards, ISO members adhere to a set of robust processes defined in the ISO/IEC Directives as well as ISO/IEC Guide 59, Code of good practice for standardization, and the WTO Code of Good Practice for the Preparation, Adoption and Application of Standards. These cover procedures for the development of standards, advancement of international trade, participation in the standards development process, coordination and information.


http://isotc.iso.org/livelink/livelink/fetch/2000/2122/3146825/4229629/4230450/4230455/ISO_IEC_Directives%2C_Part_1_%28Procedures_for_the_technical_work%29_%282011%2C_8th_ed.%29_%28PDF_format%29.pdf?nodeid=10563026&vernum=-2

http://www.iso.org/iso/catalogue_detail.htm?csnumber=23390

http://www.iso.org/iso/catalogue_detail.htm?csnumber=23390

http://www.wto.org/english/docs_e/legal_e/17-tbt_e.htm

http://www.wto.org/english/docs_e/legal_e/17-tbt_e.htm

What about developing countries ?

I /

The ISO Committee on developing country matters, ISO/DEVCO, helps developing country members reach the technological competence and understanding of technical requirements needed in standardization activities and for global trade. Over 135 national standards bodies are members of ISO/DEVCO.

The committee defines needs and actions to help developing countries. ISO/DEVCO also moni-tors the ISO Action Plan for developing countries and provides a forum for discussion and sharing experience on standardization among developed and developing countries. For more information about ISO/DEVCO, or to find out how to join, contact the ISO/DEVCO Secretary, Mr. Beer Budoo, and his team at [email protected].



mailto:[email protected]

How does ISO work with stakeholders ?

I /

The integrity and market relevance of ISO International Standards also depend on engaging the right stakeholders, at the right time, in national consultation processes and through consensus decision making. There are many stakeholders who can help play a role, for example : industry and business sectors, government and regulatory agencies, consumers, testing laboratories and other conformity assessment bodies dealing with certification or inspection, and academia.

ISO has partnerships with more than 700 international and regional organizations from public and private sectors, including the United Nations system, industry consortia and business groupings, governmental and non-governmental organizations, and consumer associations. They play an important part in liaising with ISO technical committees to avoid duplication of efforts and their input makes sure that ISO standards are effective. Many ISO members belong to regional and sub-regional standardization organizations that work in cooperation with ISO and encourage their


http://www.iso.org/iso/about/organizations_in_liaison.htm

http://www.iso.org/iso/about/organizations_in_liaison.htm

members to adopt ISO International Standards as national standards.

ISO members are the gateway for all stakeholders in their country to contribute to the development of ISO standards. For more information on how ISO engages with stakeholders, see our brochures, Guidance for national standards bodies – Engaging stakeholders and building consensus and Guidance for ISO liaison organizations – Engaging stakeholders and building consensus.

What about consumers ?

Consumers are important stakeholders. ISO International Standards support the development and trade of goods and services that meet consumer expectations on safety and health, fitness for purpose, environmental protection and other qualities. Consumer views ensure the market relevance of ISO standards. It is therefore vital that consumers participate in the standards-development process at the national and international level.

The ISO Committee on Consumer Policy, ISO/COPOLCO, coordinates this work in ISO. This policy committee is a platform for members to exchange information on ways to


http://www.iso.org/iso/guidance_nsb.pdf

http://www.iso.org/iso/guidance_nsb.pdf

http://www.iso.org/iso/guidance_liaison-organizations.pdf



help consumers benefit from standardization, develop new consumer-oriented policy and standards proposals for ISO, and channel views into the ISO system on standards-related issues affecting consumers.

For more information, see our publications ISO and the consumer, Involving consumers : Why and how – practical guidance for standards development bodies, and Your voice matters : Why consumers need to participate in standards-making – and how to get involved. To find out more, contact the Secretary of ISO/COPOLCO, Mrs. Dana Kissinger-Matray, at [email protected].

And educational institutions ?

More and more, ISO and its members are working with universities and other higher education institutions to develop and implement programmes on teaching standardization as a strategic management tool to access world markets, transfer technology and promote good business practice and sustainable development.

For more information about this work, contact Daniele Gerundino at [email protected].


http://www.iso.org/iso/iso-and-the-consumer_2009.pdf

http://www.iso.org/iso/iso-and-the-consumer_2009.pdf

http://www.iso.org/iso/involving_consumers.pdf



http://www.iso.org/iso/copolcoyourvoicematters.pdf





What is “ conformity assessment ” ?

I /

To beat the competition, meet the current state of the art and avoid costly product failures in the market, manufacturers and service providers base their products and services on ISO International Standards.

Manufacturers and service providers also use ISO International Standards to show consumers that their products and services meet criteria such as quality, ecology, safety, economy, reliability, compatibility, interoperability, efficiency and/or effectiveness. But how can consumers be certain that a manufacturer or service provider’s claims are correct ?

This is done through a process called “ conformity assessment ”. Conformity assessment processes test the compliance of products and services with relevant standards, regulations and other specifications. This helps ensure products and services deliver on their promises. It also builds consumer trust – essential on issues like public health, safety or the environment. In fact, many governments only invite bids from manufactur-ers and service providers that meet conformity


assessment requirements when tendering for government procurement contracts.

ISO’s conformity assessment policy devel-opment committee, ISO/CASCO, makes recommendations on the appropriate use of International Standards for testing, inspection, certification and assessment. It also develops conformity assessment policy on issues such as mutual recognition and acceptance of national and regional conformity assessment systems. Mutual recognition of conformity assessment procedures between countries is as important as the product standards underpinning regional or international trade. ISO/CASCO standards are therefore essential in making the system work.

ISO/CASCO also develops conformity assess-ment standards and guides for certification bodies performing the certification of products, processes, services and management systems as well as testing laboratories, inspection bodies and accreditation bodies. Full members and correspondent members can be members of ISO/CASCO. Subscriber members cannot participate, but can make use of the standards ISO/CASCO publishes.


If you would like to know more about conformity assessment, and how it plays a role in national and international standards development, take a look at our brochure Building Trust or contact the ISO/CASCO Secretary, Mr. Sean MacCurtain at [email protected].


http://www.iso.org/iso/casco_building-trust.pdf


Chapter II

What benefits do I get as an ISO member ?

II

II / 1 Membership manual

Membership manual II / 2

The key benefits of ISO membership are :

II /

• Accessing the tools and services that drive the ISO international standardization system

• Influencing the development of ISO Inter-national Standards and ISO strategy and governance

• Adopting, distributing and selling ISO International Standards nationally.

What kinds of membership does ISO have ?

ISO has membership categories to fit any country, whether a highly industrialized state, a transitional economy or a developing nation. These categories are : subscriber member ; correspondent member ; and full member (or member body). Each category gives increasing access to, and influence in, the ISO system.

You can join ISO at any level and upgrade at any time provided your organization can meet the participation obligations of that level. ISO members are free to decide their level of membership, and therefore their level of participation, based on their technical and financial capabilities.


Here is a summary of the benefits of each membership category :• Full members : full voting rights and influence

in ISO standards development, strategy and policy meetings. Can sell ISO International Standards or publications. Can adopt ISO International Standards as national standards. Enjoy access to all ISO meetings – technical, strategy and policy – and can speak and vote to influence the agenda and direction that the ISO system takes, including the content of ISO International Standards.

• Correspondent members : observer in ISO standards development, strategy and policy meetings. No voting rights. Can sell ISO International Standards or publications. Can adopt ISO International Standards as national standards. Attend ISO meetings as observers so cannot influence the agenda and direction that the ISO system takes nor the content of ISO International Standards.

• Subscriber members : no participation in ISO standards development, strategy or policy meetings. No voting rights. No rights to sell ISO International Standards or publications. No


rights to adopt ISO International Standards as national standards. Subscriber members follow what is happening in ISO and receive a number of ISO standards and publications.


How can I access and influence the ISO system ? II /

Influencing the development of ISO International Standards

ISO standards are developed in ISO technical committees. Member participation usually increases over time and with experience, and reflects priority industries and sectors in your country. Members first inform the ISO Central Secretariat ([email protected]) of the ISO committees they wish to participate in. They then appoint a User Administrator (MBUA) to manage that participa-tion using the ISO Global Directory.

Access and participation in ISO technical com-mittees is open to full members and correspondent members only. Full members have more influence than correspondent members in developing standards by :• Directly influencing the work of committees

of interest to them• Playing a leadership role in the work by

running secretariats of technical committees and subcommittees and nominating chairs

• Voting on Draft International Standards


http://www.iso.org/iso/standards_development/technical_committees/list_of_iso_technical_committees.htm

http://www.iso.org/iso/standards_development/technical_committees/list_of_iso_technical_committees.htm

mailto:agendas%40iso.org?subject=

https://directory.iso.org/

Full members in developing countries can further their experience in key positions within ISO (i.e. chair, secretariat or participating P-member) through a twinning arrangement with an ISO member body from a developed country. To read more about these opportunities and participating in ISO technical work, take a look at the ISO/IEC Directives and ISO Supplement, or contact the Technical Management Board (TMB) Secretary, Mrs. Sophie Clivio, at [email protected].

Participating and voting in ISO technical committee meetings

Full membersCorrespondent members

Subscriber members

Register as a participating P-member

Yes, with full voting rights

No No

Register as an observer O-member

Yes, can attend meetings and submit comments

Yes, but no rights to submit comments or vote

No

Nominate experts to working groups

Yes No No

Be Secretary, Chair or Convenor of a technical committee

Yes No No

Nominate a committee member Yes Yes, as observer No

Nominate a balloter Yes No No


http://www.iso.org/iso/standards_development/processes_and_procedures/procedures/iso_iec_directives_and_iso_supplement.htm




How can I influence the development of ISO policy ? II /

In ISO policy development committees, members play an active role in shaping current work plans and the future direction of ISO, as well as providing strategic guidance for ISO standards development work. Chairs of ISO policy development commit-tees are appointed for a two year term, renewable once. ISO policy development committees are :• Committee on conformity assessment

(ISO/CASCO)• Committee on consumer policy

(ISO/COPOLCO)• Committee on developing country matters

(ISO/DEVCO)

Access and participation in ISO policy develop-ment committees is open to full members and correspondent members only. By being able to submit comments and vote, full members have more influence than correspondent members over ISO policy.


http://www.iso.org/iso/iso_technical_committee.html?commid=54998




http://www.iso.org/iso/resources/developing_countries/committee_on_developing_country_matters-devco/what_is_devco.htm

http://www.iso.org/iso/resources/developing_countries/committee_on_developing_country_matters-devco/what_is_devco.htm

Participating and voting in ISO policy development committees


Subscriber members

Register as a participating P-member

Yes, with full voting rights

No No

Register as an observer O-member

Yes, can attend meetings and submit comments. Voting rights at ISO/DIS and ISO/FDIS stages

Yes, but with no rights to submit comments or vote

No

Nominate experts to working groups

Yes No No

Nominate a committee member Yes Yes, as observer No

For more information, please contact :• for CASCO, Mr. Sean MacCurtain

at [email protected]

• for COPOLCO, Mrs. Dana Kissinger-Matray at [email protected]

• for DEVCO, Mr. Beer Budoo at [email protected].





How can I influence ISO governance ?

II /

ISO General Assembly

The ISO General Assembly meets annually in different continents and countries. Being the highest governing body of ISO, and a chance to meet the rest of the ISO membership, it is an event not to miss. Full members attend to shape the global standardization agenda and have a voice on ISO strategic thinking and planning. Correspondent members and subscriber members attend as observers.

The meeting brings together key decision makers in the world of standardization. It is an opportunity to share ideas and best practice with other members. Members find out what other ISO standards bodies are doing, how they do it, and how it can be of interest to them and their organization’s objectives. Members can strike up new business relationships and learn more about the standardization activities in the host country and region. They also make useful contacts among stakeholders from government, industry and academia.


Members also get briefed on the latest develop-ments in international standardization, as seen from the central hub of ISO Central Secretariat and its strategic partners in other international organizations like ITU, IEC and WTO. Members can also find out more about the ISO Central Secretariat and how it serves member needs.

ISO Council

Most governance functions in ISO are carried out by ISO Council which meets twice a year. Only full members of ISO are eligible for appointment/election to Council and for a two year term. The Council Standing Committee on Strategy (CSC/STRAT) and the Council Standing Committee on Finance (CSC/FIN) guide ISO on strategic and financial matters. CSC/STRAT members and CSC/FIN members are appointed from full members sitting on Council. Correspond-ent and subscriber members cannot participate in Council or its standing committees.

Technical Management Board

The Technical Management Board (TMB) reports to Council, and is responsible for the overall management of the technical work, including a


number of strategic and technical advisory groups. Full members of ISO are eligible for appointment/election to the TMB according to criteria set by Council. Correspondent and subscriber members cannot participate in the TMB.

Participating and voting in ISO governance meetings


Subscriber members

Attend ISO General AssemblyYes, with full voting and speaking rights

Yes, as observer with no voting rights

Yes, as observer with no voting rights

Nominate candidates and be eligible for election to ISO Council

Yes No No

Become a CSC/FIN member Yes No No

Become a CSC/STRAT member Yes No No

Become a Technical Management Board (TMB) member

Yes No No

For any question about ISO governance, please contact José Baltar at [email protected].


mailto:baltar%40iso.org?subject=

How can I benefit from ISO tools and services ? II /

Promoting and selling ISO standards

Full members and correspondent members can use ISO marketing and communication tools to become distributors of ISO standards and publica-tions in their country. Subscriber members cannot conduct commercial activities. Our Marketing and Communications team (MCI) provides members with information about best-selling standards and detailed information on customers from member countries. This helps you to organize your promotion and commercial activities, target your services and products to national customer needs, and establish relationships with these customers. You can find out more about ISO marketing and communication activities on ISO Connect.

Full members and correspondent members can make use of the content published on the ISO Website, for example, press releases and articles. Promotional publications and videos can be reproduced, adapted and translated by members according to their needs. Graphic and source


https://connect.iso.org/

files of promotional publications or videos can be ordered through Mr. Roger Frost, Head of Communication Services, at [email protected].

Full members and correspondent members can start a commercial activity by downloading any ISO standard from a central repository, in XML, PDF and Word formats, and use these standards for national adoption, translation or for sale directly to customers.

In addition to International Standards, ISO produces a wide range of commercial publications such as handbooks, packages, checklists and databases, in different formats like paper or PDF. Priced publications can be reproduced, translated or adapted by members and resold to end users.

For both standards and publications, members must respect ISO copyright and commercial policies and pay the appropriate royalties to the Central Secretariat.



http://www.iso.org/iso/all_publications

Here is a summary of who can access ISO standards and publications, and ISO copyright and trademarks :


Subscriber members

ISOSTD : contains International Standards, drafts and guides and Action Plan on protection of copyright

Yes Yes

No, receive a one-off selection of 30 ISO standards as an admission gift

Read committee documents (as a committee member)

Yes Yes No

Adopt ISO standards as national standards (free of charge)

Yes Yes No

Exploit ISO copyright and disseminate ISO publications at national level (see POCOSA for conditions)

Yes Yes No

Use ISO name and logo (see ISO GEN 31 for conditions)

Yes YesNo, except to promote their membership in ISO

Benefit from discounts on publications

Yes Yes

A one-off 70 % discount on the first copy of any ISO publication only (incl. standards)

For marketing/communications questions, please contact Nicolas Fleury at [email protected].



How can I benefit from ISO IT tools and services ? II /

ISO Central Secretariat provides many informa-tion technology (IT) tools to help members carry out their national and International Standards work effectively. ISO members can use some or all of the IT services as needed. These include :• Support services for international standards

development, publication, distribution and sales processes. Free of charge and backed up with support from a HelpDesk that really understands your business

• ISOlutions : hosted services to help ISO members perform their national work. ISOlutions uses model business processes sup-ported by closely integrated IT applications at the international, regional and national level

• Interface services to enable ISO members and partners to exchange information and data with ISO's IT services

• Leadership and support for common initiatives related to IT such as management of central procurement agreements with suppliers.



Here is a summary of ISO IT tools and services :


Subscriber members

ISO Connect for all the latest news, events and projects

Yes Yes Yes

Global Directory (GD) : contains contact details of all members and their roles in ISO

Yes Yes Yes

Event notifications : GD individual notifications ; GD member body administrator notifications ; and technical entities notifications

Yes Yes Yes

Online Browsing Platform (OBP -formerly CDB) : a repository of terms and definitions, symbols, codes and coding systems soon to be expanded to a full repository of ISO International Standards

Yes Yes Yes

ISODOC server : provides access to ISO letters, working documents and general documents Also provides access to the ISO Member Portal

Yes, to all general directories and CEO personal access to following additional directories :• MARCOM Website• ISO/CASCO• COPOLCO• DEVCO• TMB• IPR in ISO

Yes, to all general directories and CEO personal access to following additional directories :• MARCOM Website• ISO/CASCO• COPOLCO• DEVCO• TMB• IPR in ISO

Yes, to limited direc-tories with no CEO personal access to additional directories

Project portal : provides details of ISO committee and subcommittee projects

Yes Yes Yes

WebEx national accounts Yes Yes No


Accessing IT tools

ISO Connect (https://connect.iso.org) gives the latest ISO news, events, and projects. It’s for everyone in the ISO system (members, chairs, secretaries, experts, etc.) to find out about, and participate in, ISO activities.• Log in using your ISO Global Directory account

username and password. If you don’t have one, you can register using your email address. We’ll then create a new account for you and send you the details within a business day or so.


Subscriber members

Member User administrator (MBUA)

Yes Yes No

ISOTC server: for sharing and developing standards work inside ISO committees and working groups

Yes Yes, as observer No

NMC server : used by members to disseminate documents to national stakeholders

Yes Yes No

E-balloting Yes No No

Submission interface : for submission of files work to the ISO Central Secretariat on technical work

Yes No No


https://connect.iso.org

https://directory.iso.org/

• Once in ISO Connect, please also set up your profile so you get email notifications of blog posts which provide news and other announcements. To do this, go to profile, then settings, then email. Click edit and tick the appropriate box.

ISODOC (http://isodoc.iso.org) provides access to ISO letters, working documents and general documents, and other useful information for ISO members.

Access questions ? Contact William Noko at [email protected]

ISOSTD (http://pod.iso.org) contains International Standards, drafts and guides and the Action Plan on protection of copyright

Access questions ? Contact Boris Maggia at [email protected]

For help with or advice about any ISO IT tools, please contact IT Director, David Ratcliffe, via our International Helpdesk at [email protected]


http://isodoc.iso.org/


http://pod.iso.org



What about training and development ?

II /

Full details about ISO training and technical assistance are set out in our catalogue, Developing talent. The Developing talent catalogue is regularly updated and downloadable from the ISO Website. It shows the target audience for each training course and a summary of any financial support on offer.

Through donor funding, developing country participants receive ISO technical assistance under the ISO Action plan for developing countries. Developed country participants fund their own participation.

Some courses are held in Geneva. Others are held on a regional basis. ISO can also run customized training for members on a cost recovery basis.

Courses are available for ISO members, ISO experts and other stakeholders performing key standardization roles, and cover a wide range of topics including technical, marketing and IT training. For more information about training and technical assistance, please contact Beer Budoo at [email protected].


http://www.iso.org/iso/developing_talent.pdf

http://www.iso.org/iso/developing_talent.pdf

http://www.iso.org/iso/devt-developing-countries-by-regions

http://www.iso.org/iso/devt-developing-countries-by-regions



Chapter III

What help can I get from the ISO Central Secretariat ?

III

III / 1 Membership manual

Membership manual III / 2

A priority of the ISO Central Secretariat team is to help all ISO members maximize their national standards capability and achieve their international standardization goals. This is true whether you are a newcomer to standardization, a middle income country that has a basic or intermediate standards capacity, or an established standards body with years of experience and knowledge.

We want you to get up to speed in your ISO standardization activities as quickly as possible. By understanding ISO and how it works, by taking full advantage of the range of benefits, services and tools that come with ISO membership, we hope you can get the most from ISO and that the ISO system can become all the richer for your contribution.

The ISO Central Secretariat is here to support you in your activities. You may need advice on strategy development, or ideas for operational improvement. Perhaps you need support with methodologies or frameworks to identify problems and solutions. You may want training and capacity building and help setting up the right technology for standardization. You may be trying to make better use of ISO marketing and communication


tools and publications. Whatever your needs, we want to hear from you.

We are at your service to help you analyse and address existing problems and gaps in your national standards strategy, and develop plans for improvement, drawing on ISO services and support at key stages along the way. What’s more, as a hub for all ISO members, we sit on a rich intellectual pool of member knowledge, experience and best practice. We also have extensive access to policy makers, governments and other stakeholders engaging with international organizations and institutions headquartered in Geneva. We want you to get the most from these important and influential resources, so let us know how we can best share knowledge and access with you.

We can support you as much or as little as you wish. We can and will suggest ideas and ways we think we can help. We will do this proactively and respond to your requests. In return, we need you to tell us what help you need and when, and also to give us feedback and ideas on how we can improve our support in future.

ISO is an organization that develops solutions to international challenges through people and


for people. Here are some of the ISO/CS people who are ready to help you.

Strategic planning

Rob Steele, ISO Secretary-General and Kevin McKinley, ISO Deputy-Secretary General, can help you achieve your national and international standardization goals. They can visit you in-country, to explain how the ISO brand communicates confidence world-wide and facilitate contacts with national policy and decision makers.

Rob and Kevin can work with you to establish short-, medium- and long-term strategies for increasing your standards capability, taking into account all the factors you will need in place. With Rob and Kevin’s expertise and guidance, members can map out a path for development and identify the ISO services and support you will need along the way. Contact Rob Steele at [email protected] or Kevin McKinley at [email protected] for more information.




Economic and social benefits of standards

Economists have been studying the role and impact of standards for many years to understand how they contribute to public welfare, improve economic efficiency, limit market failures, promote trade, and so on. But outside these specialist circles, the purpose and benefits of standardization are too often poorly understood.

Daniele Gerundino is ISO Strategic Advisor and an expert on the economic and social benefits of standards. You can use Daniele’s services and information to help inform decision makers in your country about the national importance of standards, and the critical role standards play in national economic competitiveness and innovation and public policies. You can draw on his many reports, publications and other support tools to demonstrate the economic and social benefits of standards to government and other stakeholders. You can also join in Daniele’s regional training and workshops on the economic and social benefits of standards. On this important subject, see our publication, Economic benefits of standards – International case studies.


http://www.iso.org/iso/about/education_and_training/benefits_of_standards.htm

http://www.iso.org/iso/about/education_and_training/benefits_of_standards.htm

Daniele’s rich resources also include : general information about standards ; stakeholder partici-pation in standardization, including academia ; opportunities for standards mentors and mentees ; and potential new areas for standardization work. You can use these resources to help take the right steps in addressing your standardization gaps.

To find out more, contact Daniele Gerundino at [email protected].

ISO training and development

ISO members increasingly need to deliver quick, credible and consensus-based International Standards in an ever more complex world. Developed and developing country members use ISO Development Director Beer Budoo’s services to get : development advice ; regional and in-country training ; and capacity building for themselves, their experts and stakeholders, to meet their standardization responsibilities – simpler, faster and better…

You can work with Beer to bring international trade benefits to your country, address gaps in your national standards education provisions, expand the number of national standards experts in your country, and learn to use standards to



tackle global challenges like natural disasters and climate change.

For more details, contact Beer Budoo at [email protected].

Developing standards

Trevor Vyze is Director of the ISO standards development team (STAND). STAND coordinates the ISO standards development operation centrally in Geneva. ISO members work with Trevor and his team to make sure that, each year, hundreds of ISO technical committees – covering a wide range of subjects and thousands of experts – have the support they need to produce globally relevant International Standards. STAND provides :• An evolving, simpler, faster and better

standards development system• Professional advice and guidance to the ISO

technical community• Editing and publishing of standards for an

expanding global market

For more details, contact Trevor Vyze at [email protected].




IT support and e-Services

David Ratcliffe directs our IT and eServices work (ITES). David helps everyone in the ISO system improve their business capabilities and performance using Information Technology. You can tell David about your IT needs via ITAG (members’ IT Advisory Group), ISOurce (network of member managers and staff involved in IT work) and ISOConnect (an online space to talk about IT).

For more details, contact David Ratcliffe at [email protected].

Marketing ISO standards and publications

Nicolas Fleury, Director of Marketing, Communication and Information (MCI) and his team provide a range of promotion, marketing, communication and sales tools, and offer their experience to support ISO members. Nicolas also helps members with questions on the use of ISO standards and publications, related copyright issues, and on implementation of ISO’s commercial policies.

For more information, contact Nicolas Fleury at [email protected]




ISO legal adviser

Holger Gehring is the ISO Legal Adviser. He and his team work with ISO members to make sure that the ISO brand, trademark and logo is protected and maintained all around the world. He also helps ISO members to tackle copyright infringements of ISO standards committed on their territory. Holger further advises ISO members on best practice in the protection of ISO’s copyright and trademarks.

For more information, contact Holger Gehring at [email protected].

ISO membership team

Pamela Tarif is the ISO Membership Manager. You can contact Pamela on any aspect of being an ISO member such as changing membership category ; looking for services or support anywhere in the ISO team or system ; understanding members’ rights or obligations ; getting the most from ISO membership. You can also get letters of invitation to ISO meetings for visa purposes through Pamela’s membership team.



You can give feedback to Pamela on your experience of being an ISO member or any difficulties or problems you face. You may have ideas for improving current ISO services, member categories and structure. You can propose strategic opportunities for the ISO Central Secretariat to better serve ISO members. Pamela also wants to hear from you on ways of improving how ISO communicates, interacts with and serves its customers.

For more details, contact Pamela Tarif at [email protected].



How do I apply for ISO membership ?

III /

To apply for ISO membership, potential members write to the ISO Secretary-General and include the information in the table below. The Secretary-General decides on admission for subscriber and correspondent members. ISO Council decides on admission of full members (minimum 14 out of 20 positive votes) :


Subscriber members

Provide NSB statutes or other explanation of how national standards body (NSB) was set up, its composition, functioning and activities

Yes Yes Yes

State starting date/yearYes, from 1 January or 1 July

Yes, from 1 January or 1 July

Yes, from 1 January only

Confirm acceptance of ISO Statutes and Rules of Procedure and Council decisions

Yes No No

Confirm acceptance of level of subscription

Yes (minimum five units)

No (subscription level based on two units)

No (subscription level based on a half unit)

Membership begins after Payment Of Membership Fee

Yes Yes Yes


Upgrading ISO membership

III /

A subscriber or correspondent member can upgrade membership in ISO. The table below sets out the information to include when asking the ISO Secretary General to upgrade. The Secretary-General decides on upgrades from subscriber to correspondent member. ISO Council decides on upgrades to full members (minimum 14 out of 20 positive votes) :

Upgrade to member body

Upgrade to correspondent member

State upgrade start date/year (1 January or 1 July)

Yes Yes

Confirm acceptance of ISO Statutes and Rules of Procedure and Council decisions

Yes No

Confirm NSB acceptance of level of subscription

Yes (minimum five units)Yes (change from half a unit to two units)


ISO membership fees III /

Each ISO member accepts to pay a fair share of the costs to maintain the ISO infrastructure, including the ISO Central Secretariat. This is done through the payment of membership fees. Full members, correspondent members and subscriber members each pay a different level of membership fee. The philosophy behind the calculation is to achieve an equitable and fair fee for all members.

Using an allocation of units to each full member based on their economic importance (gross national income, exports and imports), ISO Council then decides annually on the unit value. Each level of membership then pays a fee calculated as follows :• Full members

Unit value × n (n = number of units allocated)

• Correspondent members Unit value × 2

• Subscriber members Unit value × 0.5

Membership fee invoices for the following year are sent to members each September. All members


must pay the current year’s fees by September of the current year. Full members and correspondent members must pay at least 50 % by end March and any balance by end September. Subscribers must pay in full by end September. Failure to pay on time can lead to suspension or withdrawal from ISO.

Membership fee payment dates


Subscriber members

At least 50 % by end March Yes Yes No

Balance by end September Yes Yes No

Single 100 % payment by end September

No No Yes

Membership fee payments can be made to either ISO bank account :

UBS SA – Genève – Swift : UBSWCHZH80A

Crédit Suisse - Genève – Swift : CRESCHZZ12A

c/c N° 240 - 335.120.30 C or c/c N° 4835 - 904847 - 21

IBAN : CH09 0024 0240 3351 2030C IBAN : CH17 0483 5090 4847 2100 0

If you have questions about your fees, please contact Mrs. Veronique Hauguel, Head of ISO Finance at [email protected].



Chapter IV

As an ISO member, what are my rights and obligations ?

IV

IV / 1 Membership manual

Membership manual IV / 2

As the world’s largest standardization organiza-tion, ISO has many strengths and attributes based on more than 60 solid years of history. With an expanding membership that continues to mature and increase its contribution and participation, it will become increasingly important not to overlook how we perform as a collective whole.

Many ISO members are adapting and developing in response to changes in the global market, to make sure they can continue to deliver excellence effectively to their customers. At ISO, and at the level of international standardization, we too should reflect on whether we are meeting our collective goals in delivering excellence in the ISO system and to ISO customers globally.

The following pages set out current, if basic, advice from ISO GEN 22 (1999), List of Fundamental Principles of the ISO System on member rights and obligations *. We need to think how, in the future, we can find ways to set this out more clearly. Through well-defined ISO membership criteria, we can encourage continual improvement in our

* ISO GEN 22 refers to “ member of ISO ”. However, the rights and obligations may not apply to correspondent or subscribers members. See Chapter II for more details of members benefits.


processes, and exchange good practice among ISO members. This helps us maintain and strengthen the effectiveness of the ISO system and lends credibility and value to the ISO brand.

Further general guidance on how members operate in the ISO System can be found in the ISO Code of Ethics. The ISO Code of Conduct also gives advice to those who participate in the ISO standards development process.


http://www.iso.org/iso/codeethics_2004.pdf

http://www.iso.org/iso/codes_of_conduct.pdf

Representing standardization in your country IV /

Obligation 1a : An ISO member undertakes to be the organization most broadly representative of standardization in its country. An ISO member may delegate its membership rights and obliga-tions to other organizations in its country if it so wishes, but remains responsible to the other members of ISO for its primary responsibilities. These responsibilities include providing open and consensus-based representation of their own country’s views in both technical and policy related matters.

Obligation 1b : An ISO member accepts to pay “ its fair share ” of the costs to maintain the ISO infrastructure, including the core function costs of the ISO Central Secretariat, according to subscription levels decided by Council.

Right 1 :

Only one ISO m e m b e r p e r country is rec-ognized by ISO.

Each ISO member can be assured that it is the ulti-mate representa-tive of ISO for its own country.


Selling ISO standards and protecting ISO intellectual property IV /

Obligation 2a : When selling ISO publications which are not adopted as national standards, ISO members are required to pay royalties or copying fees to ISO according to rules established by Council.

Obligation 2b : Each member shall take appropriate actions to ensure the correct use of the ISO name and mark (logo) in its country, and to prevent unauthorized sale of the texts of ISO publications in any form.

Right 2 :

ISO members may distribute and sell national adoptions of ISO standards without paying royalties or additional fees to ISO or to any of its other members.


Responsible participation in ISO

IV /

Obligation 3a : When serving as elected repre-sentatives of the ISO membership on Council or the TMB, members are expected to act on behalf of the membership as a whole.

Obligation 3b : In matters pertaining to the delineation of work between ISO Technical Committees (TCs) and the performance and assignment of TC subcommittees (SC) Secretariats, ISO members are obliged to respect the decisions of the TMB.

Obligation 3c : In matters pertaining to strategic and policy development initiatives of the organiza-tion, and to the rules applied to its members in financial and commercial matters, ISO members are obliged to respect the decisions of Council.

Right 3 :

ISO members have the right to seek appoint-ment or election to ISO’s govern-ing bodies, i.e. Council and the Technical Man-agement Board (TMB).

They may be ap-pointed or elected as members of these bodies ac-cording to demo-cratic procedures set out in the ISO Statutes.


Participating in standards development work IV /

Obligation 4a : For the ISO work in which they choose to participate, ISO members are expected to organize national consultation mechanisms, according to their national needs and possibilities, which prepare national positions that reflect a balance of their country's national interests and are presented by their national delegations for consideration by relevant ISO TC/SCs (or other technical bodies established by the TMB).

Obligation 4b : When participating in the standards development work of ISO, ISO members are obliged to adhere to procedural rules established by the TMB. These rules may be different in various cases, depending on the kind of normative agreement being developed, or for specific standards (e.g. fast track procedures, or special case procedures applicable to particular standards development or adoption objectives).

Right 4 :

ISO members have the right to participate in any standards de-velopment work that is intended to result in the ap-proval of an ISO standard, or in another normative publication to be approved by ISO.

They also have the right to ap-peal, within time limits set by the Council, against any action or inac-tion of a technical committee or the TMB, with final appeals being de-cided by Council.


Consultation and consensus-building

IV /

Obligation 5a : When developing national positions on proposed ISO standards, members are expected to organize public review processes in their own countries in order to achieve the widest possible exposure to all interested parties, including governments, consumers, and other potential users.

Obligation 5b : ISO members must respect the results of ISO's consensus-building processes, i.e. that an ISO normative document is approved when there is an absence of sustained opposition by any important part of the concerned interests, and according to a process that involves seeking to take account of the views of all parties and to reconcile any conflicting arguments.

Right 5 :

ISO members have the right to comment and vote, within speci-fied time limits, on any norma-tive publication of ISO, according to voting rules and procedures approved by ISO (on a one-vote per country basis with negative votes requiring objec-tive justifications).


Meeting committee service agreements IV /

Obligation 6 : When appointed as a TC or SC Secretariat, the member or its delegated representative undertakes to provide the necessary human and monetary resources to adhere to the TC/SC Service Agreements required by ISO for the performance of Secretariat duties, which include acting in an unbiased capacity for the administration of the relevant ISO work.

Right 6 :

ISO members have the right to seek appointment as Secretariats of ISO technical committees and subcommittees (TCs and SCs) in accordance with the rules set out by the TMB.

They may do this on behalf of another organiza-tion in their coun-try, but remain responsible for the e f fec t i ve discharge of the responsibilities accepted.


International Organization for Standardization

1, chemin de la Voie-Creuse Case postale 56 CH -1211 Genève 20 Switzerland

Tel. +41 22 749 01 11 Fax +41 22 733 34 30 E-mail [email protected] Web www.iso.org

ISBN 978-92-67-10571-0 ©ISO, 2012-06

116688429 iso membership manual 2012

Documents