How Did ISO Begin?
The European Common Market (ECM) was formed to promote free trade and create what some called the United States of Europe. The idea was that goods would travel between the individual countries as simply and easily as they now travel between US states. Since just about all goods and services are presented with an understandable bit of national pride, the ECM saw the need for an unbiased system of quality standards and checks that everyone would recognize and accept. Realizing that an impartial set of strict quality standards would benefit domestic as well as international purchasing, US government agencies, such as the Department of Defense, soon adopted the ISO standard. At the same time, domestic US and Canadian companies recognized that these strict standards would authenticate the quality of their own manufacturing process and services and began seeking certification.
