Founded in 1947 and headquartered in Geneva, ISO certification is a non-governmental organization: its members are not, as is the case in the United Nations system, delegations of national governments. Nevertheless, ISO certification Certification occupies a special position between the public and private sectors. This is because, on the one hand, many of its member institutes are part of the governmental structure of their countries, or are mandated by their government. On the other hand, other members have their roots uniquely in the private sector, having been set up by national partnerships of industry associations.

A network of national standards institutes from 147 countries working in partnership with international organizations, governments, industry, business and consumer representatives.  ISO certification serves as a bridge between public and private sectors.

ISO certification standards contribute to making the development, manufacturing and supply of products and services more efficient, safer and cleaner. They make trade between countries easier and fairer. They provide governments with a technical base for health, safety and environmental legislation. They aid in transferring technology to developing countries. ISO certification standards also serve to safeguard consumers, and users in general, of products and services - as well as to make their lives simpler.

For businesses, the widespread adoption of ISO Certification International Standards means that suppliers can base the development of their products and services on specifications that have wide acceptance in their sectors. This, in turn, means that businesses using International Standards are increasingly free to compete on many more markets around the world.