British Standards Institution (BSI).

British Standards Institution (BSI)

A standard is an agreed specification, requirement or method used to help products and processes achieve consistent levels of safety, quality, reliability and compatibility.

The British Standards Institution (BSI) is the UK’s national standards body. It develops and publishes British Standards and represents the UK in international standardisation.

Why BSI standards matter

Standards can help designers and manufacturers by:

• providing recognised requirements for materials, dimensions, performance, testing and safety
• improving consistency and reducing errors and waste in manufacture
• making it easier for suppliers and manufacturers to work to the same requirements
• helping protect consumers by setting recognised levels of performance or safety
• increasing confidence when a product or organisation has been independently assessed against a relevant standard.

For a designer, standards can influence decisions such as material choice, dimensions, tolerances, testing, manufacturing methods, warnings and product labelling. The relevant standard should therefore be considered during development rather than only after a product has been made.

BSI Kitemark

The BSI Kitemark is a voluntary certification mark used for products or services that have been independently assessed against specified requirements. It can give consumers greater confidence in quality, safety or performance, depending on what the certification covers.

A Kitemark should not be treated as proof that a product is perfect or environmentally sustainable; it shows conformity with the particular requirements covered by the certification.

Benefits and limitations

Using recognised standards can improve product quality, consistency and customer confidence and may make it easier to enter markets where recognised evidence of conformity is valued.

However, certification and maintaining controlled systems can require testing, documentation, audits, staff training, time and money. These costs may be worthwhile where safety, reliability and consumer confidence are important, but they can increase the cost of bringing a product to market.