Which organization is credited with creating international standards across multiple industries?

• A. International Organization for Standardization (ISO)
• B. National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)
• C. International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC)
• D. American National Standards Institute (ANSI)

Answer: (A)

International standardization across a broad range of industries is led by ISO, the International Organization for Standardization. ISO develops and publishes international standards that span many sectors, helping ensure quality, safety, and interoperability worldwide (for example, ISO 9001 for quality management and ISO/IEC 27001 for information security). This broad, globally applicable scope is what makes ISO the organization most closely associated with creating international standards across diverse industries. The other groups have important roles too, but with narrower or national focus: NIST produces U.S.-centric guidelines and standards, IEC specializes in electrical and electrotechnical standards (often with ISO collaboration on joint standards), and ANSI coordinates and accredits U.S. standards, sometimes adopting international ones but not issuing international standards themselves.