The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) is an international standardization body composed of representatives of national standardization organizations from around the world and members of the organization around the world.

At large, this non-governmental, non-profit organization sets general and detailed standards for harmonizing different global standards. In practice, ISO acts as a consortium through strong communications with governments. In other words, the organization is promoting global economic and industrial standards to coordinate the exchange of different industries and technologies in one direction. The institute sets a variety of global trade and industrial standards. ISO is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland. The ISO has been in office since February 23, 1947.

Because the organization’s standards in practice become rules for different firms, although it is a non-governmental organization, it is more powerful than most similar NGOs.