BSI Group
Encyclopedia
BSI Group, also known in its home market as the British Standards Institution (or BSI), is a multinational business services provider whose principal activity is the production of standards and the supply of standards-related services.
The Group now operates internationally in 150 countries. The core business remains standards and standards related services, although the majority of the Group’s revenue now comes from management systems assessment and certification work.
All formal standards are developed with a period of public enquiry and full consultation. They incorporate the views and expertise of a very wide range of interests from consumers, academia, special interest groups, government, business and industry. As a result, standards represent a consensus on current best practice.
Standards are designed for voluntary use and do not impose any regulations. However, laws and regulations may refer to certain standards and make compliance with them compulsory. For example, the physical characteristics and format of credit cards is set out in standard number BS EN ISO/IEC 7810:1996. Adhering to this standard means that the cards can be used worldwide.
As the UK’s National Standards Body, BSI is responsible for producing and publishing British Standards and for representing UK interests in international and European standards organizations such as ISO, IEC
, CEN
, CENELEC
and ETSI
. Formal British Standards are titled BS (for British Standard) XXXX[-P]:YYYY where XXXX is the number of the standard, P is the number of the part of the standard (where the standard is split into multiple parts) and YYYY is the year of publication.
BSI produces standards on a wide range of products, services and processes; from nuts and bolts to sustainability, risk, business continuity management and nanotechnology.
In response to commercial demands, BSI also produces commissioned standards products such as Publicly Available Specification
s, (PASs), Private Standards and Business Information Publications. These products are commissioned by individual organizations and trade associations to meet their needs for standardized specifications, guidelines, codes of practice etc. Because they are not subject to the same consultation and consensus requirements as formal standards, the lead time is much shorter.
BSI also publishes standards-related books, CD-ROMs, subscription products and web-based solutions as well as providing training on standards-related issues.
It is independently accredited and delivers assessments for a wide range of standards and other specifications including:
BSI certifies approximately 60,000 locations in over 124. countries and operates across the UK, CEMEA, Asia Pacific (including Japan and China) and the Americas.
Subsequent to an acquisition in 2006, BSI also offers a web-based integrated management system software service called Entropy Software, which specializes in helping large organizations manage risk and compliance issues.
BSI Group also offers a range of training services on how businesses can implement and audit management systems effectively.
, a registered certification mark first used in 1903. The Kitemark
– which is recognized by 82% of UK adults – signifies products or services which have been assessed and tested as meeting the requirements of the related specification or standard within a Kitemark
scheme.
BSI also conducts testing of products for a wide range of certifications, including for CE marking. CE marking must be applied to a wide range of products intended for sale in the European Economic Area. Frequently manufacturers or importers need a third-party certification of their product from an accredited or ‘Notified’ body. BSI holds Notified Body status for 15 EU Directives, including construction products, marine equipment, pressurized equipment and personal protective equipment.
BSI also conducts testing for manufacturers developing new products and has facilities to test across a wide range of sectors, including construction, fire safety, electrical and electronic and engineering products.
Within Healthcare, BSI provides regulatory and quality management reviews, and product certification for medical device manufacturers in Europe, the United States, Australia, Japan, Taiwan, Canada and China. It is the market leader in the USA, the world’s biggest healthcare market.
History
BSI Group was founded as the Engineering Standards Committee in London in 1901. It subsequently extended its standardisation work and became the British Engineering Standards Association in 1918, adopting the name British Standards Institution in 1931 after receiving its Royal Charter in 1929. In 1998 a revision of the Charter enabled the organization to diversify and acquire other businesses, and the trading name was changed to BSI Group.The Group now operates internationally in 150 countries. The core business remains standards and standards related services, although the majority of the Group’s revenue now comes from management systems assessment and certification work.
Standards
A standard is a published document that contains a technical specification or other precise criteria designed to be used consistently as a rule, guideline, or definition. All standards take the form of either: specifications, methods, vocabularies, codes of practice or guides.All formal standards are developed with a period of public enquiry and full consultation. They incorporate the views and expertise of a very wide range of interests from consumers, academia, special interest groups, government, business and industry. As a result, standards represent a consensus on current best practice.
Standards are designed for voluntary use and do not impose any regulations. However, laws and regulations may refer to certain standards and make compliance with them compulsory. For example, the physical characteristics and format of credit cards is set out in standard number BS EN ISO/IEC 7810:1996. Adhering to this standard means that the cards can be used worldwide.
As the UK’s National Standards Body, BSI is responsible for producing and publishing British Standards and for representing UK interests in international and European standards organizations such as ISO, IEC
International Electrotechnical Commission
The International Electrotechnical Commission is a non-profit, non-governmental international standards organization that prepares and publishes International Standards for all electrical, electronic and related technologies – collectively known as "electrotechnology"...
, CEN
European Committee for Standardization
The European Committee for Standardization or Comité Européen de Normalisation , is a non-profit organisation whose mission is to foster the European economy in global trading, the welfare of European citizens and the environment by providing an efficient infrastructure to interested parties for...
, CENELEC
European Committee for Electrotechnical Standardization
CENELEC is the European Committee for Electrotechnical Standardization.CENELEC is responsible for European Standardization in the area of electrical engineering...
and ETSI
European Telecommunications Standards Institute
The European Telecommunications Standards Institute is an independent, non-profit, standardization organization in the telecommunications industry in Europe, with worldwide projection...
. Formal British Standards are titled BS (for British Standard) XXXX[-P]:YYYY where XXXX is the number of the standard, P is the number of the part of the standard (where the standard is split into multiple parts) and YYYY is the year of publication.
BSI produces standards on a wide range of products, services and processes; from nuts and bolts to sustainability, risk, business continuity management and nanotechnology.
Activities
BSI produces British Standards, and, as the UK’s National Standards Body, is also responsible for the UK publication, in English, of international and European standards. BSI is obliged to adopt and publish all European Standards as identical British Standards (prefixed BS EN) and to withdraw pre-existing British Standards that are in conflict. However, it has the option to adopt and publish international standards (prefixed BS ISO or BS IEC).In response to commercial demands, BSI also produces commissioned standards products such as Publicly Available Specification
Publicly Available Specification
The PAS is a consultative document where the development process and written format is based on the British Standard model...
s, (PASs), Private Standards and Business Information Publications. These products are commissioned by individual organizations and trade associations to meet their needs for standardized specifications, guidelines, codes of practice etc. Because they are not subject to the same consultation and consensus requirements as formal standards, the lead time is much shorter.
BSI also publishes standards-related books, CD-ROMs, subscription products and web-based solutions as well as providing training on standards-related issues.
Management Systems Assessment and Certification
BSI Group is the world’s largest certification body. It audits and provides certification to companies worldwide who implement management systems standards. BSI also provides a range of training courses regarding implementation and auditing to the requirements of national and international management systems standards.It is independently accredited and delivers assessments for a wide range of standards and other specifications including:
- ISO 9001ISO 9000The ISO 9000 family of standards relates to quality management systems and is designed to help organizations ensure they meet the needs of customers and other stakeholders . The standards are published by ISO, the International Organization for Standardization, and available through National...
(Quality), - ISO 14001ISO 14000The ISO 14000 environmental management standards exist to help organizations minimize how their operations negatively affect the environment The ISO 14000 environmental management standards exist to help organizations (a) minimize how their operations (processes etc.) negatively affect the...
(Environment), - BS OHSAS 18001 (Occupational Health and Safety),
- ISO/IEC 27001ISO/IEC 27001ISO/IEC 27001, part of the growing ISO/IEC 27000 family of standards, is an Information Security Management System standard published in October 2005 by the International Organization for Standardization and the International Electrotechnical Commission...
(previously BS 7799 for Information Security), - ISO/IEC 20000 (previously BS 15000 for IT Service Management);
- PAS 99 (Integrated Management),
- BS 25999BS 25999BS 25999 is BSI's standard in the field of Business Continuity Management . This standard replaces PAS 56, a Publicly Available Specification, published in 2003 on the same subject.-Structure:...
(Business Continuity), - Greenhouse Gas Emissions Verification,
- SA8000 (Social Accountability) and
- Food Safety standards and specifications, including ISO 22000ISO 22000ISO 22000 is a standard developed by the International Organization for Standardization dealing with food safety. This is a general derivative of ISO 9000.-Food safety:...
. - AS9100, AS9110, AS9120 Aerospace
- EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS)
BSI certifies approximately 60,000 locations in over 124. countries and operates across the UK, CEMEA, Asia Pacific (including Japan and China) and the Americas.
Subsequent to an acquisition in 2006, BSI also offers a web-based integrated management system software service called Entropy Software, which specializes in helping large organizations manage risk and compliance issues.
BSI Group also offers a range of training services on how businesses can implement and audit management systems effectively.
Testing Services and Healthcare
Within Testing Services, BSI's best known product in the UK is the KitemarkKitemark
The Kitemark is a UK product and service quality certification mark which is owned and operated by The British Standards Institution ....
, a registered certification mark first used in 1903. The Kitemark
Kitemark
The Kitemark is a UK product and service quality certification mark which is owned and operated by The British Standards Institution ....
– which is recognized by 82% of UK adults – signifies products or services which have been assessed and tested as meeting the requirements of the related specification or standard within a Kitemark
Kitemark
The Kitemark is a UK product and service quality certification mark which is owned and operated by The British Standards Institution ....
scheme.
BSI also conducts testing of products for a wide range of certifications, including for CE marking. CE marking must be applied to a wide range of products intended for sale in the European Economic Area. Frequently manufacturers or importers need a third-party certification of their product from an accredited or ‘Notified’ body. BSI holds Notified Body status for 15 EU Directives, including construction products, marine equipment, pressurized equipment and personal protective equipment.
BSI also conducts testing for manufacturers developing new products and has facilities to test across a wide range of sectors, including construction, fire safety, electrical and electronic and engineering products.
Within Healthcare, BSI provides regulatory and quality management reviews, and product certification for medical device manufacturers in Europe, the United States, Australia, Japan, Taiwan, Canada and China. It is the market leader in the USA, the world’s biggest healthcare market.
Milestones
- BSI is the world’s first national standards body.
- BSI created one of the world’s first and most enduring quality marks in 1903, when the letters ‘B’ and ‘S’ (for British Standard) were combined to produce the KitemarkKitemarkThe Kitemark is a UK product and service quality certification mark which is owned and operated by The British Standards Institution ....
logo.
- BSI was instrumental in the formation of ISO, the International Organization for Standardization, in 1947 and of its European equivalent, CEN, in 1964.
- BSI pioneered the development of management systems standards: the first of which was BS 5750, the original quality management systems standard which formed the template for the ISO 9000 series of quality standards, first published in 1994.
- BSI published the world’s first environmental management standard, BS 7750, in 1992. This led to the publication of the first international environmental management standard, ISO 14001, in 1996. BSI also published the world’s first sustainability standard, BS 8900, in 2006.
- BSI's management systems operation in the UK has been carbon neutral since 2006. BSI reduced staff’s business travel by 200,000 miles per annum, and invested in carbon offsetting in the UK and Bulgaria.
- BSI has been nominated a Business Superbrand in the UK for five years in a row.
Acquisitions
Starting in 1998, BSI Group has adopted an aggressive policy of international growth through acquisition as follows:- 1998: CEEM, USA and International Standards Certification Pte Ltd, Singapore
- 2002: KPMG’s certification business in North America
- 2003: BSI Pacific Ltd, Hong Kong
- 2004: KPMG’s certification business in the Netherlands
- 2006: Nis Zert, Germany; Entropy International Ltd, Canada & UK; Benchmark Certification Pty Ltd, Australia; ASI-QS, UK
- 2009: Supply Chain Security Division of First Advantage Corp. USA; Certification International S.r.l, Italy; EUROCAT, Germany
- 2010: GLCS, the leading certifier of gas related consumer equipment in the UK, and one of the top three in Europe, the certification business of BS Services Italia S.r.l. (BSS); Systems Management Indonesia (SMI).
See also
- The International Customer Service InstituteThe International Customer Service InstituteThe International Customer Service Institute is an international organisation enabling the recognition and sharing of global best practice in customer service...
(TICSI) - Standards organizationStandards organizationA standards organization, standards body, standards developing organization , or standards setting organization is any organization whose primary activities are developing, coordinating, promulgating, revising, amending, reissuing, interpreting, or otherwise producing technical standards that are...
- StandardizationStandardizationStandardization is the process of developing and implementing technical standards.The goals of standardization can be to help with independence of single suppliers , compatibility, interoperability, safety, repeatability, or quality....
- Management systemManagement systemA management system is the framework of processes and procedures used to ensure that an organization can fulfill all tasks required to achieve its objectives....
- International standards
- ISO 9000ISO 9000The ISO 9000 family of standards relates to quality management systems and is designed to help organizations ensure they meet the needs of customers and other stakeholders . The standards are published by ISO, the International Organization for Standardization, and available through National...
- ISO 14000ISO 14000The ISO 14000 environmental management standards exist to help organizations minimize how their operations negatively affect the environment The ISO 14000 environmental management standards exist to help organizations (a) minimize how their operations (processes etc.) negatively affect the...
- ISO/IEC 27000ISO/IEC 27000ISO/IEC 27000 is part of a growing family of ISO/IEC Information Security Management Systems standards, the 'ISO/IEC 27000 series'. ISO/IEC 27000 is an international standard entitled: Information technology — Security techniques — Information security management systems —...
- ISO/IEC 20000
- BS 25999BS 25999BS 25999 is BSI's standard in the field of Business Continuity Management . This standard replaces PAS 56, a Publicly Available Specification, published in 2003 on the same subject.-Structure:...
- ISO 22000ISO 22000ISO 22000 is a standard developed by the International Organization for Standardization dealing with food safety. This is a general derivative of ISO 9000.-Food safety:...
- SA8000SA8000SA8000 is a global social accountability standard for decent working conditions, developed and overseen by Social Accountability International . Detailed guidance for implementing or auditing to SA8000 are available from its . SAI offers training in SA8000 and other workplace standards to managers,...
- ISO
- International Electrotechnical CommissionInternational Electrotechnical CommissionThe International Electrotechnical Commission is a non-profit, non-governmental international standards organization that prepares and publishes International Standards for all electrical, electronic and related technologies – collectively known as "electrotechnology"...
- European Committee for StandardizationEuropean Committee for StandardizationThe European Committee for Standardization or Comité Européen de Normalisation , is a non-profit organisation whose mission is to foster the European economy in global trading, the welfare of European citizens and the environment by providing an efficient infrastructure to interested parties for...
(CEN) - European Committee for Electrotechnical StandardizationEuropean Committee for Electrotechnical StandardizationCENELEC is the European Committee for Electrotechnical Standardization.CENELEC is responsible for European Standardization in the area of electrical engineering...
(CENELEC) - European Telecommunications Standards InstituteEuropean Telecommunications Standards InstituteThe European Telecommunications Standards Institute is an independent, non-profit, standardization organization in the telecommunications industry in Europe, with worldwide projection...
(ETSI) - Trading Standards InstituteTrading Standards InstituteThe Trading Standards Institute is the professional association which represents trading standards professionals in the UK and overseas.-History:...
External links
- BSI code list at Piping-Designer.com