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International Standards Organization (ISO)

image by Zachary Harden, 06 August 2022

About the flag
ISO/QS Certification Flags

See also:

International Organizations

About the flag

We don't have a flag in the sense that we don't fly one over our building. Our flag is a rather more modest affair table top one that we may "fly" at conferences. It consists of the blue version of the ISO logo, without background. I include an example of this logo. Our logo is just the word ISO superimposed on the globe.
Roger Frost, 3 March 2008
provided to Ben Cahoon, 3 March 2008

ISO/QS Certification Flags

I just came across a flag, supposed to be a variant of the ISO. The flag, seen here. Source mentions "(the) City's Wastewater Division Becomes State Forerunner with Environmental Management Certification - ISO 14001:2004 Certified", talking about the government's Division of Tallahassee.
The flag most likely reads "ISO 14001" on top, and "REGISTERED" on the bottom, on blue capital letters on a white horizontal background, as seen in this other picture:
However on the first mentioned picture, one can see a logo on the bottom right, which I cannot identify.
Esteban Rivera, 15 June 2011

Rather than representing the ISO, this flag communicate the presence of an environmental management system conforming with ISO 14001, in particular one that has been registered with NSF International Strategic Registrations. A photo of the same design at another Tallahassee Water Utility wastewater facility (perhaps relating to an earlier registration) can be found in this document. (Tallahassee's Water Utility Wastewater Division 'Goes Green' with ISO 14001:2004 Environmental Management Certification/, pp22-24, Florida Water Resources Journal, May 2008), revealing that the logo in the bottom hoist is that of NSF - a blue cirle with the white letters 'NSF'.
The flags were presented to the Water Utility along with the certification plaque, and are presumably generally provided by NSF when they registered a compliant system.
NSF is a non-government organisation, and while we see the flag hoisted by a (local) government utility, I'm sure the flag could equally be given to non-government entities.
(Of course, the ISO is itself not exactly a government organisation.)
Jonathan Dixon, 16 and 17 June 2011

If it's similar to the ones at this page, then it might be a globe.
Peter Hans van den Muijzenberg, 25 June 2011

On this picture one can see an array of flags behind de fire truck. From left to right, there's a white horizontal flag with an inscription that reads "ISO 9001" and below "CERTIFIED". I don't know if ISO issues a specific flag for the ISO 9001 certification and what would the rules for such flags would be.
Source: http://www.piercemfg.com/en/experience/NewDeliveries/Denver-Fire-Department---Velocity-100--Platform.aspx
Esteban Rivera, 02 October 2014

This page depicts an “ISO Flag” – in this case, a flag with the ISO logo on it. I wanted to point out that this flag would not be available for anyone to purchase and may only exist at the ISO headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland.
Generally, if someone searches for an “ISO Flag” they are looking for a flag with which to publicize the fact that they are certified to any of various ISO standards.
What is slightly problematic about the image on this page is that the ISO expressly forbids the use of their logo by other entities. So the graphic on the page is an image of a unicorn, in a sense.
I would like to point out that the flags offered by USFlagDepot.com are not the most current, nor the most popular designs for ISO flags. In fact, or site, StandardFlags.com is considered the authority on ISO flags in that we have the widest selection of ISO flags, many for certifications that cannot be found any place else, and further, we are the copyright holders of the designs seen and sold on our site.
For reference: https://standardflags.com/
We’ve spent a great deal of time creating these designs such that they are unique to the eye and are representative of the standard which they represent.
We wondered how we might get a link on your page?
Also, if you would like more extensive coverage on this topic, I would be glad to write content for you which explains the designs and symbolism for each type of flag. There are about 11 certifications for which we currently have flag designs.
Our designs are licensed to JC Schultz who is our exclusive producer.
Chris Mitchell, Owner, StandardFlags.com, 27 January 2015

As I read it, he's advertising their version of the banners, and the only vexillological information, which he did not even write out, is that those flags are not an ISO matter, but could be any design, produced by anyone. Apparently nothing stops me from walking around with a flag with the text "This Flag is ISO certified."
As we're non-commercial, I guess you could thank him for that bit of information and leave it at that.
Peter Hans van den Muijzenberg, 27 January 2015