21 April 2026: As BSI approaches its 125th anniversary, the organization’s enduring impact is reflected in the standards and best practices it delivers through its 1,600 committees and 13,000 committee members, to help clients and stakeholders thrive in an increasingly complex global environment. From advancing responsible artificial intelligence and strengthening cyber security, to supporting environmental protection and enabling smooth, resilient global supply chains, BSI’s standards continue to strengthen business practices, protect consumers, accelerate innovation, enable global trade - creating tangible value for organizations and communities worldwide.
Founded in 1901, BSI has played a foundational role in shaping the modern world. BSI has evolved from developing the standards that underpinned the industrial revolution at the turn of the 20th century, into an organization developing the standards supporting businesses through the digital, sustainability and social revolutions underway today. Using these trusted standards as a foundation, BSI has developed a range of services from assurance, certification and training, to advisory services – all with the aim of using standards to help organizations build capability and skills, improve performance and access new markets.
BSI began with engineers seeking to bring consistency and quality to the building of bridges, railways and ships, grew to support the war effort with 400 emergency standards during WW2, and then became central to consumer safety in areas from seatbelts and car seats to button batteries. Today its reach, driven by its purpose - impact for a fair society and a sustainable world - spans everything from smart cities and connected devices, to carbon management in infrastructure, addressing antimicrobial resistance, safe medical devices, renewable energy development and secure self-driving cars. The world’s first net zero standard is in development, and BSI is leading international work on quantum standards as well.
Having originated many of the core standards that underpin global industry, and are now used by millions of businesses, including environmental management (ISO 14001), quality management (ISO 9001), and information security (ISO 27001), BSI is now pioneering responsible AI adoption, with the world first AI management standard, ISO 42001. Other key areas include workplace health, safety and well-being, with BSI recently commissioned by the UK Government to develop an employer-facing standard focused on a healthy working lifecycle, as part of plans to take forwards the recommendations from the Keep Britain Working review.
As part of its anniversary celebrations BSI has launched ‘125 ways standards shape the world’, a campaign celebrating how standards - consensus-based best practices - protect consumers from harm, enable interoperability between products and systems made by different companies, reduce product failures and environmental impacts, and build confidence that products and services work as intended. These standards enabled the development of the modern global supply chain, and underpin global trade.
Susan Taylor Martin, Chief Executive, BSI, said: “In an increasingly complex and uncertain world, standards, supported by testing and assurance, provide the consistency and trust that global markets depend on. They enable trade, strengthen supply chains, and help ensure products and services are safe and reliable.
“As BSI marks its 125th anniversary, our focus is firmly on the future, helping provide trust in our digital world, protecting the environment, and helping organisations succeed. Working with our committee chairs and members, our partners across government, business, and civil society, we will continue to harness the power of standards to accelerate innovation and drive progress toward a fair society and sustainable world.”
Supporting every step of medical care
Six years ago, when Covid-19 began, standards played a critical role in our response to the pandemic, aiding the development of safe Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and ventilators. Today, there are standards related to every stage of care, diagnosis, treatment, and recovery from illness. BSI’s work shapes the environment we’re treated in, the way blood is tested or how medical devices like defibrillators work, but also the equipment clinicians use, the protective clothing they wear, and even the way our medical data is handled to make sure cyber criminals can’t access it.
Comedian Matt Forde underwent surgery to remove a cancerous tumour on his spine in 2023. He has commented on how standards have impacted his life: “What I didn’t realize then was that behind the scenes, there is an entire hidden world of standards quietly working to keep patients like me safe. As a patient, you undergo medical care with the confidence that there are systems in place to keep you safe, and this is only possible through standardization. I am so grateful to the healthcare professionals who saved my life – but alongside them I appreciate just how deeply these frameworks are woven into every stage of care and why standardization matters so much.”
Alongside its role publishing standards, BSI is a leading global certification body for medical devices, auditing manufacturers of devices ranging from artificial hips to pregnancy tests against international standards like ISO 13485 and regulatory requirements across jurisdictions including the EU and UK, helping to ensure safety and enable market access.
About BSI
BSI is a global professional services company, providing training, assurance, certification and advisory services worldwide. We partner with more than 74,500 clients globally to make the world safer, more secure and more sustainable by building trust in the things that matter most.
In the UK, BSI is appointed by Government as the National Standards Body. In this remit we play a vital role in shaping best practice across a range of industries. Our ~13,000 committee members contribute to standards that underpin global trade and help organizations not only access new markets but also accelerate innovation.
For 125 years, we have helped turn good intentions into reliable outcomes that have a positive impact, guided by a simple belief: progress only works when it is safe, consistent and credible. From standardizing steel beams in 1901, to protecting society with helmet safety standards, or leading the way in AI governance, and developing a unified framework for the delivery of net zero - BSI works across society and industry to improve performance, reduce risk and drive sustainable growth.
Standards are voluntary, practical tools that capture shared best practice and provide a common language. BSI develops standards through collaboration and consensus, bringing together unmatched expertise across industry, government, consumers and academia. We then help organizations adopt, embed and demonstrate best practice through assurance, certification, training and insight — turning consensus best practice into measurable impact. While we operate commercially, we are purpose-driven: reinvesting in our mission to serve the public good.
As BSI marks its 125th year, we continue to evolve what we do to keep pace with emerging technologies, new risks and changing societal expectations.
