Standards GO Home About BSI Governance framework - The Board of The British Standards Institution Our Royal Charter The Royal Charter and BSI BSI is a private company incorporated by the British Royal Charter, first awarded (to the British Engineering Standards Association) in 1929. As BSI has grown and evolved our Royal Charter has been amended several times to reflect the magnitude and importance of the work we do nationally and internationally across industries to facilitate innovation, trade and consumer groups. What does it mean to have a Royal Charter? The Royal Charter is a prestigious instrument of incorporation granted by the British sovereign on the advice of the UK Privy Council which awards independent legal personality, defines its objectives, constitution and powers to govern its own affairs, and reflects the high status of that body. It does not, to any great extent, impose specific duties or responsibilities on the company. Royal Charters have a history which dates back to the 13th Century and are granted by the British sovereign on the advice of the UK Privy Council. Today, though they are still occasionally granted to cities, new Charters are normally reserved for bodies that work in the public interest. These organizations include professional institutions and charities who can demonstrate pre-eminence, stability and permanence in their particular field. What is BSI's Royal Charter? BSI’s Royal Charter is essentially an enabling document that sets out our purpose and defines in broad terms our range of activities, including our functions as the UK's national standards body, as well as our ability to offer global accredited training, testing and certification services in addition to advisory consulting services. Read our full Royal Charter. The BSI Royal Charter is supplemented by our bye-laws which detail some aspects of how BSI must be run. They cover matters such as membership, the conduct of General Meetings and the composition of the Board. 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 +44 345 080 9000 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). By clicking “Accept all cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyse site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Accept all cookies Reject cookies