ISO Sets the Standard

Rob Steele, the Secretary General for International Organisation for Standardisation, comes on the Breakfast Grille to talk about the relevance of ISO, given the current spread of industries it covers. Originally for technical standards, it now includes areas such as social responsibility. He talks about maintaining relevant in this fast changing day and age. He also talks about:

- How the ISO standards they produce are a result of requests by its members. However, according to Rob, ISO will see whether the standard requested is of global significance;

- Funding comes from its members and the development of ISO standards. However, he stresses that it goes beyond just a paper on the wall; 

- Enforcement is another issue. While the ISO does not personally go to enforce the standards, they do engage with their relevant members as to how to maintain standards;

- Emerging markets will be an interesting new area for ISO;

- He also talks about the new sectors that ISO is looking at, examples of which include chinese traditional medicine, among others.