SNV Anniversary Series: The Era When the World Cried Out for Standards

Only one organisation per country can become a member

ISO aims to facilitate the coordination and unification of standards issued by national standards bodies and provides for a continuous exchange of information on countries' standardization work. Membership is open to any national standards organization, provided that it meets the conditions for admission and is prepared to accept the statutes and implementing regulations. From each individual country, the organization that most comprehensively represents the standardizing bodies of that country is to become a member. The official languages of ISO adopted in London are English, French and Russian. The headquarters of the ISO are to be in Geneva, where the ISO commences its activities in February 1947.

The London Conference designates Geneva as the headquarters of the ISO. The Geneva office is established, and on February 23, 1947, the ISO begins its activities.

Bodies of the ISO

The highest authority in the ISO is the General Assembly, which consists of the assembly of representatives of all members. It usually meets every three years. Howard Coonley, chairman of the Executive Committee of the American Standards Association, is elected as the first president of ISO. The executive body is a council consisting of the president and ten other members, who together represent eleven different member countries. This Council is vested with broad powers and is responsible for the governance of ISO between General Assemblies. For the first five years, China, France, the United Kingdom, the Soviet Union and the United States of America have permanent seats on the Council. The remaining six seats are allocated to Australia, Belgium, Brazil, India, Norway and Switzerland. The Council elects a Vice-President and a Trésorier from among its members. Gustave L. Gérard, Belgium, is elected Vice-President for the first term and Fritz Streiff, Switzerland, is elected Trésorier. The business of the Organisation is conducted by a Secretary General.

Switzerland recognizes its important role in the ISO

The Swiss representatives are convinced that Swiss industry and economy can benefit from international standardization efforts and that active participation is therefore of great importance.

Thus the Swiss Standards Association wrote in its press release of April 1947: "The standards organization of a country which, like Switzerland, is very heavily dependent on exports, must seek and maintain contact with foreign standards bodies by all means. Through our membership of ISO, these indispensable links have been established, and we will be able to participate in the solution of international tasks. We are particularly pleased with the designation of Geneva as the seat of the new organization, the election to the ISO Council and the transfer of the trésorier's office. These decisions of the London Conference testify to the esteem in which our country, and Swiss standardization in particular, is held in international circles. They should be an incentive for the Swiss standardization bodies to assist in the implementation of the ISO work to the best of their ability."

Active cooperation with ISO for over 70 years

Decades after the founding of ISO, Switzerland is still actively involved in international standardization and continues to enjoy a high standing within the organization. Our country was and is often represented in the steering committees, such as the ISO Council and the Technical Steering Committee. Switzerland is currently represented in the highest bodies with Urs Fischer on the ISO Council and Marcel Knecht on the Technical Steering Committee. Nicolas Fleury, a Swiss national, has been Deputy Secretary General since 2009, and the current Trésorier is also a private individual from Switzerland.

Sources: Archive Swiss Association for Standardization (SNV) and ISO