ISO/TC 223 is a technical committee of the International Standards Organization formed to develop standards in the area of societal security: increasing crisis and continuity management and capabilities through technical, human, organization, operational, and management approaches as well as operational functionality and interoperability, as well as awareness amongst all interested parties and stakeholders.
ISO/TC 223 will work towards international standardization that provides protection from and response to risks of unintentionally, intentionally, and naturally caused crises and disasters that disrupt and have consequences on societal functions. The committee will use an all-hazards perspective covering the phases of emergency and crisis management before, during, and after a societal security incident.
ISO/TC 223 will address and supplement issues not currently addressed by other technical committees or international bodies which ISO has formal agreements.
Security challenges to society
Now and in the future, survival of nations and citizens concerns the security of critical functions of society, rather than only the classical focus on the security of the territory. This shift entails the ability of the government and civil society to function, critical infrastructures to be maintained, the democratic ability to govern, and to manifest certain basic values. These abilities are put under pressure during severe crises. In societal security several elements that traditionally have been kept apart are becoming fused: procedures for peace and war merge, internal and external security are interlocked, and the ambitions of enhancing state security and providing citizen safety become blurred.
These are new challenges. They have implications for what (concepts and) tools we need to enhance security, citizens safety and crisis management capacity in an increasingly interdependent and borderless world. And these trans-boundary challenges are not covered by the traditional concept of national civil defence. A new title is suggested with the primary purpose to provide an “umbrella-concept” under which standardization activities can be developed that support the safeguarding of core functions of society as well as providing guidelines for the response and recovery from catastrophinc events. Thus, the new title of ISO/TC 223 is "Societal Security" marking a new direction.
Current objectives for the work of ISO/TC 223
Taking the recommendations and assessments made in the Final Report of ISO Advisory Group on Security as a point of departure, the objective of ISO/TC 223 is to assess the need for and develop ISO standards and other deliverables within its chosen scope.
In doing so, it should:
• ensure that ISO/TC 223 is aware of relevant international policy developments and trends within its scope,
• ensure cooperation with other standardization groups dealing with security aspects,
• ensure that as many as possible of relevant stakeholders are aware of and participates in the work of the Technical Committee,
• ensure that the work is in line with ISO/TMB Implementation Guidance on Global Relevance of ISO Technical Work and Publications,
• ensure that the work is conducted according to the ISO/IEC Directives.
Read more about ISO/TC 223: Scope and Initial Priorities of ISO/TC 223, Introduction To Societal Security