Technical Management Board (TMB)

Structure and governance

ISO is an independent, non-governmental organization made up of members from the national standards bodies of 163 countries. Our members play a vital role in how we operate, meeting once a year for a General Assembly that decides our strategic objectives.

Our Central Secretariat in Geneva, Switzerland, coordinates the system and runs day-to-day operations, overseen by the Secretary General.

The General Assembly

The General Assembly is the ultimate authority for the organization. It is an annual meeting attended by our members and our Principal Officers.

The ISO Council

The ISO Council takes care of most governance issues. It meets twice a year and is made up of 20 member bodies, the ISO Officers and the Chairs of the Policy Development Committees CASCO, COPOLCO and DEVCO. Under the Council are a number of bodies that provide guidance and management on specific issues:

• The President’s Committee - advises Council and oversees the implementation of the decisions taken by the Council and the General Assembly.
• CASCO - provides guidance on conformity assessment
• COPOLCO - provides guidance on consumer issues
• DEVCO- provides guidance on matters related to developing countries
• Council Standing Committees - advise on financial and strategic matters
• Ad hoc Advisory Committees - can be established to advance the goals and strategic objectives of the organization

Membership to the Council is open to all member bodies and rotates to make sure it is representative of the member community.

The management of the technical work is taken care of by the Technical Management Board. This body is also responsible for the technical committees that lead standard development and any strategic advisory boards created on technical matters.

Membership

ISO is a network of national standards bodies that represent ISO in their country.

There are three member categories, each enjoying different levels access and influence over the ISO system. This helps us to be inclusive while also recognizing the different needs and capacities of each member.