The GS1 provides standards for barcodes in addition to general business standards such as electronic messaging and data synchronization. The GS1 also provides training and support for the implementation of international standards.

The GS1 also works collaboratively with the ISO, or the International Organization for Standardization, which is the world’s largest developer of standards. The GS1 and ISO both share the same passion for the importance of global standardization. For this reason, many of the GS1’s standards are ISO-compliant and the GS1 has adopted many ISO standards such as identification, GS1 barcodes, electronic data interchange and RFID.

For more information about the relationship between GS1 and ISO, download the brochure here.

As mobile communications continue to grow and consumers are doing practically everything from their cellular phones, it’s important for companies to realize that standards are necessary. The GS1 has noticed the growing mobile communication market and has developed a Management Board to implement a set of standards for it.

The GS1 Management Board plans to develop global standards for Mobile Commerce, leading global companies to support development of global standards for trusted, efficient communication between businesses and consumers via mobile phones.

The GS1 Management board has recently agrees that they need to become a key player in creating a trusted and efficient communication between businesses and consumers (B2C). The board recognized the opportunity for the industry to extend GS1 standards that are already being used for Business-to-Business (B2B) processes to the realm of B2C. The following areas will be affected:

• Identification Keys
• Data Carriers (Bar codes and RFID tags)
• Product data related to consumer information
• Data exchange

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