From human resources to outsourcing – ISO expands work in five areas
With already a wide-ranging portfolio of over 18 600 International Standards covering almost everything from screw sizes to social responsibility, ISO’s scope continues to diversify with the recent addition and expansion of five work areas for standards’ development. These are:
- Project, programme and portfolio management
- Outsourcing
- Human resources management
- Additive manufacturing
- Risk management.
Project, programme and portfolio management
ISO had originally established a project committee to develop a single standard on project management (ISO/PC 236). However, recognizing that the discipline of project management is much broader than what a single standard can encompass, it was decided that a new technical committee would be created to develop additional standards in this area.
The new ISO/TC 258, Project, programme and portfolio management, will address aspects that are not covered in the standard currently in development by ISO/PC 236 (ISO 21500), but which are considered essential and urgently needed in many countries.
The first meeting will take place on 27-29 June 2011 in Washington DC, USA. Currently, 34 countries are involved. The Secretariat and Chair of the committee are held by ANSI (ISO member for the USA) and BSI (ISO member for the United Kingdom) respectively.
Outsourcing
Due to the multiplicity of existing documents on outsourcing, and the lack of a common vocabulary for the industry on which to base their communications, ISO established a new project committee ISO/PC 259, Outsourcing.
ISO/PC 259 will develop a standard to provide overarching guidance and terminology, enabling practitioners to harmonize principles, procedures and vocabulary in existing and future standards. It will also improve understanding of all parties involved in outsourcing, by providing a common set of practices for managing the outsourcing lifecycle. It will promote interoperability, coherence, and contribute to removing technical barriers to trade and reduce transaction costs for outsourcing.
The committee will meet on 16-17 June 2010 in Sofia, Bulgaria. The Secretariat and Chair are held by NEN (ISO member for the Netherlands), and BSI, respectively. Some 14 countries are involved.
Human resource (HR) management
More and more organizations cut across borders, and the workforce is increasingly mobile and global. In this context, tasks such as talent management, finding and retaining quality talent, promoting a global workforce culture, and managing global mobility of high-value workers become more difficult. Harmonizing HR management is crucial for ensuring efficiency. In addition, studies have shown that consumers are basing their purchasing choices on a company’s humane treatment of its workforce around the world. Harmonizing HR management is crucial for ensuring efficiency.
A new ISO committee, ISO/TC 260, Human resource management, will develop standards for HR management (including guidelines, processes, policies, practices, services). It will promote reliable and transferable approaches to workforce management in developed and emerging economies for the overall benefit or organizations and their employees. The standards will help organizations adapt to, and exploit demographic shifts that influence their access to workers.
It will reduce the barriers to exchange (trade) of talent across regions by harmonizing the processes to physically move talent and the assessments of their competence (skills, knowledge, abilities, and results).
Some 25 countries are currently involved. The Secretariat of the committee is held by ANSI.
Additive manufacturing
Additive manufacturing (AM) is an inherent part of the product development process. These additives are used to manufacture prototypes, tools and production parts. In comparison to conventional methods where parts are molded into specified forms or cut from a massive block AM bases on the principle that liquids, powders, stands and films are layered to build 3D-structures without the use of a mould.
In the past, development, modification and use of mould-free production processes (AM) has been quite unsystematic. One of the main reasons is the lack of availability of International Standards. These are urgently necessary to promote a widespread use of the process and to regulate evaluation of existing products.
A new ISO technical committee, ISO/TC 261, Additive manufacturing, will develop the much needed standards for development and market penetration of the industry.
The first meeting will be held in Berlin, Germany on 26-27 July 2011. The Secretariat of the committee is held by DIN, the ISO member for Germany. Some 17 countries are taking part in this work.
Risk management
In the wake of devastating natural disasters that have taken the world by surprise, people are looking for tools that can help minimize the disastrous impact of these events.
In 2009, a comprehensive risk management toolbox was developed by an ISO working group including:
- ISO 31000, Risk management – Principles and guidelines
- ISO Guide 73, Risk management vocabulary
- ISO/IEC 31010, Risk management – Risk assessment techniques
Now, ISO has created a new project committee ISO/PC 262, Risk management, to promote this work by developing a document offering further guidance for the implementation of these standards. The new document will address:
- Implementing risk management framework and process
- Risk management strategy
- Developing a risk management culture
- Building capability and competence
- Treating and managing the identified risks
- Governance
- Improving an organization's performance of its risk management
- Maximizing opportunities and minimizing losses in the organization.
The document will be applicable to all organizations of all sizes using plain expressions and terminology for ease of application.
Currently some 30 countries are involved. The Secretariat and Chair are held by BSI and SA (Australia) respectively. The first meeting will take place on 12-16 September 2011.