International standards
Society can no longer manage without
standards
that set out agreements, specifications or requirements for a product or service, either within a particular country or internationally. Standards help to ensure uniformity and clarity. For example, there are
European standards
that are important for the European market. But also national and international standards.They foster mutual trust and make it easier to trade at an international level.
This blog provides the answer to the three of the most important questions regarding international standards:
- What are the most important international standards?
- What are the advantages of international standards?
- Do international standards also have disadvantages?
What are the most important international standards?
You are probably already familiar with the International Standardization Organization (ISO). This organization was founded in 1947 and sets standards for organizations in 163 countries. A few of the most commonly used standards are:
- ISO 9001, quality management. This is the best known and most commonly used standard. It enables you to show that your organization complies with the international standard for quality management.
- ISO 14001, environmental management. This standard allows you to show that your organization complies with the international standard for environmental management.
- ISO 27001, information security. Certification for this standard shows that you comply with all requirements regarding information security and that information and data is handled safely within your organization. An added benefit of compliance with this standard is that it minimizes the risk of threats such as cyber crime and the misuse of data.
- ISO 45001, occupational health and safety (Arbo). This standard is all about working in a safe and healthy way.
What are the advantages of international standards?
One major advantage of international standards is the confirmation that certification provides, as these standards are accepted and acknowledged all over the world. Another important benefit of working with ISO standards is that everyone with this certification is working at the same level. Yet another benefit is the fact that ISO develops its standards on a continuous basis. Standards are usually reviewed every five to seven years in response to market developments and feedback.
All ISO standards are based on the Deming circle, also known as the PDCA cycle: plan, do, check and act. This is a management system that helps you to implement continuous improvement. First of all you make a plan, then you implement it, subsequently you check it and finally you make adjustments where necessary. The cycle then repeats itself. Complying with ISO standards ensures that your company will continue to improve. The above-mentioned standards all have the same foundation, known as the High Level Structure (HLS). The first four paragraphs of all these standards are practically identical. We refer to this as the Plug-in Model, meaning that there is a basis or core that other standards can ‘plug into’. This makes it possible to integrate ISO standards with each other.
Do international standards also have disadvantages?
One disadvantage of an international standard is that it must apply everywhere, whether your product or service is for the Chinese, Dutch or German market, for example. The problem lies in the fact that international standards are not always specific enough. This is why companies sometimes prefer national standards. In fact, some companies even go as far as developing their own standards.
Companies may also opt for a combination of international and national standards. Sometimes this is necessary. For example, installation companies may have an ISO 9001 certificate, but to comply with market demands, they must also have SCC (Safety, Health and Environment Checklist Contractors) certification, which is a national standard. Another example is the automotive industry. Branch-related FOCWA (Federation of entrepreneurs in bodywork and car construction and related companies) and BOVAG (Association of motor car, garage and allied trades) standards apply to this sector in the Netherlands, for instance, but companies in this sector also have to comply with a quality or environmental management system based on ISO.