International. The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) officially approved the creation of a new international standard for facility management following a survey of its 159 member organizations. The standard that will be published under the name ISO 41000 will be a "Standard Administration System" for the management of facilities.
Like all ISO standards, this will be a strategic tool and a set of guidelines, which will establish an accredited framework and work structure, as well as allow the formal organization of processes. The standard will also provide guidance for the improvement of processes as do the already recognized standards of Quality, Occupational Health and Safety, Environmental Management Systems Standards, among others.
Once the creation of the standard is approved, it will give way to the development of the same with the participation of the member countries that wish, currently there are already 20 member countries participating in the Facilities Management Committee 267 ISO TC. The rule is expected to take about three years to define and ratify.
Stan Mitchell, representative of the British Institute of Facility Management and chair of the TC 267 ISO Committee that will oversee the development of the standard, said: "With its own standard management system Facility Management will finally emerge as the professional discipline that it is. FM professionals require a rare mix of specialized technical skills, complete understanding of the business, and experience in general management. We are now in a position to provide consistency to the profession internationally and provide a framework for standards on a global scale."
"The economic and social benefits of this new standard will be considerable in terms of increasing the level of our facilities and services globally, ensuring that we reach even higher levels of efficiency," he added.
