ISO (International Organization for Standardization) is an international organization comprised of over 160 national standard bodies. Headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, ISO is an independent, non-governmental organization whose main purpose is to develop standards for any industry and establish safety, quality, and efficiency for products and services.
Roles: ISO plays an integral part in the following ways:
- Offer advice and GAP analysis to organizations to reduce costs and increase effectiveness.
- Standardize the industry by providing the necessary documentation and specifications for that certain industry.
- Offer training to companies and organizations so they can identify risks and opportunities, prevent problems from reoccurring, improve employee morale and performance, and finally learn how to control and evaluate GMP guidelines.
ISO is an integral part of quality management because it improves productivity and customer satification.