Spain remains a leader in the adoption of international standards, according to The ISO Survey 2021 of the International Organization for Standardization. This annual report details the implementation of technical standards in organizations in areas such as quality, environment, technology and governance, in which Spain ranks near the top in the various categories. The Spanish Association for Standardization, UNE, the Spanish member of ISO, plays a key role in developing international standards and in raising awareness regarding the importance of compliance.
The ecological transition and sustainability are one of the clear commitments for the growth of Spain's business fabric, and one of the priorities of the UNE is to make available standards and good practices to companies and organizations so they can achieve their objectives. Spain ranks fifth in terms of the number of companies and institutions that have adopted the environmental management standard (ISO 14001). Specifically, 20,942 work centres in Spain have been certified under this standard, only behind China, Italy, Japan and the United Kingdom.
Similarly, the needs of organizations to adapt to society's new requirements in environmental and governance issues have led to the development of new standards, such as sustainable event management (ISO 20121), asset management (ISO 55000) and collaborative business relationship management (ISO 44001), which were considered for the first time in the study. These include the commitment of Spanish companies to respond to these demands and to remain at the forefront globally by ranking near the top of the list.
Also of note is the fact that Spain ranks fourth in terms of workplaces with occupational health and safety certifications (ISO 45001); fifth in energy management (ISO 50001); and second in road traffic safety management (ISO 39001). These rankings demonstrate how important standardization is in our country and the support that is given to implementing standards in Spain. Standards provide invaluable support when it comes to driving foreign trade and selling national products and services abroad by guaranteeing compatibility and best practices in quality and safety. At the same time, standards are very useful when bidding for public tenders and to inspire trust among investors.
