Categories of standards
There are three categories of standards
International standards
These are developed primarily by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), and the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) for countries to adopt for national use. Standards New Zealand embraces the development and adoption of international standards.
One of Standards New Zealand’s key business strategies is to develop robust, affordable standards faster. As a smaller country on the world stage, we look to international standards first to see what existing solutions may help us solve problems, build better businesses, improve regulation, and create better products and services.
It is also a requirement of the Standards and Accreditation Act to consider international standards first, before deciding if we need a bespoke, New Zealand-specific standards solution.
Regional/joint standards
These are prepared by member organisations within a specific region, such as the European Union’s EN standards, or joint Australian/New Zealand standards.
National standards
These are developed either by a national standards body like Standards New Zealand, or other nationally-accredited bodies.