by Diana Baldi & Heather A. Wade
ISO standards are considered the top of the global standards hierarchy. This means that ISO standards supersede regional or national standards, where an equivalent ISO standard exists. All international standards managed by ISO are developed based on a market need within a specific subject area. If a proposed need is accepted by ISO, the project proposal proceeds through the ISO standards development process. ISO standards are developed on a consensus-based approach and take into account comments from all stakeholders. Once published, all ISO standards are reviewed at least every five years to determine if a revision is required. The systematic review process ensures that ISO International Standards and other deliverables remain up-to-date and globally relevant. ISO/IEC 17025 is one of these international standards that has undergone a series of updates over the past 30+ years. We will explore the revision process and history for ISO/IEC 17025 as well as the international organizations who play a part in its application and support.
