Standards GO Home About BSI UK National Standards Body BSI shares knowledge, fosters innovation and instils best practice as the UK's national standards body Find out more about our role as the UK national standards body. BSI shares knowledge, fosters innovation and instils best practice as the UK's national standards body Find out more Government & public bodies Learn more about our relationship with government & public bodies. Learn more > Business & industry Learn more about the vital role standards play in business and industry. Learn more > Education Learn how standards can help the next generation of industry experts. Learn more > Consumers Standards make things better: safer, higher quality and easier to use for consumers. Learn more > The role of BSI as the UK national standards body BSI is the UK's national standards body (NSB) and the first national standards body to be created. We represent UK economic and social interests across all European and international standards organizations and in the development of business information solutions for British organizations of all sizes and sectors. Our role is to help improve the quality and safety of products, services and systems by enabling the creation of standards and encouraging their use. We publish over 3,100 standards annually, underpinned by a collaborative approach, engaging with industry experts, government bodies, trade associations, businesses of all sizes and consumers to develop standards that reflect good business practice. Four areas of purpose Support government policy Support UK business and industry Support UK education Support UK consumer rights and safety What makes up the NSB? Royal Charter BSI is a private company incorporated by Royal Charter, first awarded (to the British Engineering Standards Association) in 1929. Royal Charters were first awarded in the 13th century and are granted by the British sovereign on the advice of the UK Privy Council. Learn more about BSI’s Royal Charter > Memorandum of Understanding BSI is recognized as the UK national standards body (NSB) by the UK Government. This status is formally codified in the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the United Kingdom Government and the British Standards Institution in respect of its activities as the United Kingdom’s national standards body. Learn more about the MoU > The Standards Policy team The NSB is under the responsibility of BSI’s Director-General of Standards and is administered within the Standards Policy team. It receives some funding from the UK Government in recognition of work undertaken in the public interest. Learn more about the Policy team > Standards Policy and Strategy Committee The Standards Policy and Strategy Committee (SPSC) is appointed by and ultimately reports to the BSI Board. Being the focal point for BSI’s NSB stakeholder views, the SPSC informs and assists the development of BSI’s strategic direction and policy for national, European and international standards. Find out more about the SPSC and the Board Committees > Electrotechnical Standardization Strategic Advisory Council The Electrotechnical Standardization Strategic Advisory Council (ESSAC) will provide BSI with high level strategic policy advice and guidance in the UK electrotechnical industry. The committee will also look at areas of emerging technology in the electrotechnical sector and identify possible standardization linkages with non-electrotechnical sectors. Find out more about the ESSAC > UK Government Funding The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) is responsible for UK government policy on standardization and BSI receives funding from BEIS in respect of its role as the UK NSB. Recognizing the importance of the work we do and that some aspects are not self-funding, BEIS fund specific activity in three main areas: Influence and Leadership – helping to support the infrastructure necessary for the UK to participate in international standardization and giving Her Majesty’s Government (HMG) access to standards Standards Development – covering activities relating to developing standards content Participation in Standardization – enabling UK participants in international standards work by contributing towards their travel costs Each year, we produce a report which covers in detail how this money is spent. Download BSI's annual report to the UK Government's Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy on the use of BEIS funding. Learn more > Brexit Keep up to date with how Brexit will affect different roles of the national standards body. Find out more > Get involved There are many ways you could get involved with us; suggest an idea for a new standard, join one of our committee's or comment on a draft publication. Find out more > SHARE Find a Standard ISO 9001 Quality Management ISO 13485 Quality Management ISO 14001 Environmental Management ISO 22301 Business continuity ISO/IEC 27001 Information security ISO 45001 Occupational Health and Safety ISO 50001 Energy Management ISO 37001 Anti-Bribery Management System View all standards Services Access and buy standards Develop a standard Online subscription services Standards services Assessment and ISO certification Auditing and verification Product testing and certification Validate BSI-issued certificates Training courses Medical devices services BSI Connect View all services Sectors Aerospace Automotive Banking and financial services Construction and Built Environment Education Energy, oil and gas Food Government Healthcare Hospitals IT Manufacturing and engineering Medical devices View all sectors Topics Future of mobility Global market access Health and safety Information security Innovation Internet of things (IoT) Organizational Resilience Sustainability - Circular economy - Net zero View all topics Built Environment Cybersecurity and information resilience Food Industry View all blogs About About BSI BSI impartiality Our accreditation Our clients and partners Our financial information Our governance Our legal information Our purpose, mission and vision Our Royal Charter UK National Standards body Events and webinars Sustainability Modern Slavery Statement (PDF) Contact BSI +44 345 086 9001 Site Policy: Privacy notice Cookie policy Terms of use Accessibility Site map © The British Standards Institution 2021 Impartiality is the governing principle of how BSI provides its services. Impartiality means acting fairly and equitably in its dealings with people and in all business operations. It means decisions are made free from any engagements of influences which could affect the objectivity of decision making. As an accredited certification body, BSI Assurance cannot offer certification to clients where they have also received consultancy from another part of the BSI Group for the same management system. Likewise, we do not offer consultancy to clients when they also seek certification to the same management system. The British Standards Institution (BSI, a company incorporated by Royal Charter), performs the National Standards Body (NSB) activity in the UK. BSI, together with its Group Companies, also offers a broad portfolio of business solutions other than NSB activity that help businesses worldwide to improve results through Standards-based best practice (such as certification, self-assessment tool, software, product testing, information products and training). 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