(ISO: Geneva) -- The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) has just completed work to provide identical structure, text, and common terms and definitions for management system standards of the future. This will ensure consistency among future and revised management system standards and make integrated use simpler. It will also make the standards easier to read, and in so doing, more understandable for users.

Three management system standards have already been published in this new harmonized format with another seven on the way. Both ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 will follow the new outline during their revision process.

ISO has over the years published many management system standards for topics ranging from quality and environment to information security, business continuity management, and records management. Despite sharing common elements, ISO management system standards come in many different shapes and structures. This, in turn, results in some confusion and difficulties at the implementation stage.

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