ASIS International, a member and accredited standards developer of the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), has submitted a proposal for a new International Organization for Standardization (ISO) standard focusing on quality management for private security companies. As the U.S. member body to ISO, ANSI invites all interested stakeholders to submit comments on the proposal by Friday, October 26, 2012.

The proposal recommends the adoption of the American National Standard ANSI/ASIS.PSC.1:2012, Management System for Quality of Private Security Company Operations - Requirements with Guidance, as an ISO management system standard. The proposed International Standard provides the principles and requirements for private security service providers, including private security companies (PSCs), with an emphasis on the establishment of auditable criteria, as well as accountability to relevant local laws and international human rights agreements.

The standard creates a framework for establishing, monitoring, and maintaining management of private security services and applies to any land-based private security provider; the standard does not apply to private military companies (PMCs), which work in military settings and offer direct tactical military assistance.

Interested parties are invited to review the proposal, and to submit relevant comments to Steven Cornish, ANSI director of international policy (scornish@ansi.org), by the close of business on Friday, October 26, 2012.

All input received by ANSI will be compiled and presented to the ANSI ISO Council (AIC) along with a recommended ANSI position on the proposal. Relevant documents will be submitted to ISO before the proposal deadline.

Read the ASIS proposal and justification study.