This Guide provides

• guidance for justifying and evaluating a proposed management system standard project with a view to assessing market relevance,
• guidance on the methodology (process) of developing and maintaining (i.e. reviewing and revising) management system standards with a view to ensuring compatibility and enhancing alignment, and
• guidance on the terminology, structure and common elements of management system standards with a view to ensuring compatibility as well as enhancing alignment and ease of use.

This guidance is in addition to the procedures for technical work and the methodology for the development of International Standards established by the ISO/IEC Directives.

This Guide makes a distinction between three different types of management system standard (MSS), as follows.

• Type A: management system requirements standards, both generic and sector-specific.
• Type B: management system guidelines standards, both generic and sector-specific.
• Type C: management system related standards.

Whilst this Guide is aimed primarily at Type A MSSs, it is equally applicable to Type B.

This Guide is also applicable to Type C with the exception of 7.3 relating to the MSS structure and common elements.

This Guide is intended to be used by all ISO bodies involved in the development of management system requirements and guidelines standards, and management system related standards. It can also be used by non-ISO standards development organizations at the international, regional or national level that are considering or are in the process of developing management system standards and/or comparable documents.

It should be emphasized that this Guide does not serve as a integrated management system standard. It is intended to be used by standards writers. It is not intended to be used by organizations implementing management system standards nor for certification purposes.