1.3 The ISO system and its partners
What is ISO?
ISO is a network of the national standards bodies (NSBs) of some 157 countries, with one member per country. Among other activities, ISO's Central Secretariat in Geneva, Switzerland, coordinates the organization and development of International Standards.
ISO is a non-governmental organization: its members are not, as is the case in the United Nations system, delegations of national governments. Even so, ISO occupies a special position between the public and private sectors. This is because many of its members are part of the governmental structure of their countries, or are mandated by their government. Other members have their roots uniquely in the private sector, having been set up by national partnerships of industry associations, working cooperatively with the public sector.
Therefore, ISO is able to act as a bridging organization. It can develop solutions that meet both the requirements of business and the broader needs of society, including stakeholder groups like consumers and other users.