What is ISO 20252?

ISO 20252:2006 - Market, opinion and social research - Vocabulary and service requirements
is an approved international standard of the ISO (International Standardization Organization.) The standard establishes globally recognized terms and definitions as well as the service requirements for organizations and professionals conducting market, opinion and social research.

As stated in the introduction of this standard, “Market, Opinion and social research is now a global industry. An increasing proportion of the expenditure of users of the industry is allocated to multi-national projects whose objective is consistent regional and global measurement. An international quality standard directly facilitates the achievement of this important economic and social objective by ensuring that the process elements of such research are undertaken to an appropriate standard and in a verifiable and consistent manner. This will enable data, arising from research studies carried out to this standard, being used to guide the provision of goods and services to citizens and institutions in a consistent and transparent fashion.” 

What are the key elements of this standard?

• Documented quality management system that can be audited
• Staff training and development
• Control of subcontractors
• Transparency to clients including client review of key steps and reporting
• Proposal/quotation content
• Validation and verification of major process steps

What are the potential benefits of adopting this standard?

For Research Companies:

• Translates methodology into effective processes
• Formal systems encourage efficiency and search for solutions to process problems
• Defines internal responsibilities and can promote staff satisfaction
• More consistent, reliable, transparent products and services
• Basis for subcontractor evaluation
• Reduced errors and rework
• Enhanced global competitiveness

For Clients:

• Assurance that the required processes have been carried out in ways which are recognized by the industry
• Improves clients ability to buy effectively
• Timely delivery
• More ability to focus on insight

For Public (Respondents):

• Enables ethical code protections for respondents and the public to be consistently applied

For Government:

• Standards are seen as self-regulation and reduce the risks of imposed regulation

What is CASRO’s approach/recommendation to adopting ISO 20252?

CASRO has provided singular leadership as the U.S. representative to the Technical Committee (TC) that developed this global research quality standard. CASRO’s involvement ensured that our members’, as well as the US research industry’s research and business processes are and will continue to be recognized and supported internationally. CASRO endorses this process standard as a quality foundation for research project management. CASRO considers the ISO 20252 process quality component as part of a three-pronged approach to quality program dubbed “The Three Pillars of Quality.”

The Three Pillars of Quality address basic issues of professional behavior and ethics; the basis for evaluating best practices in the science and methodologies used by market and opinion researchers; and the basis for determining if individuals and organizations are employing quality practices and processes to conduct their research.

Pillar One:  Standards and Ethics
This aspect of quality is about the personal professional and corporate business ethics by which, as CASRO members, we conduct our business.  Simply put, this is about honesty and integrity. The CASRO Code of Standards and Ethics for Survey Research sets forth the agreed-upon rules of ethical conduct for survey research organizations. Acceptance of this Code is mandatory for all CASRO members.

Pillar Two:  Scientific Practices
This aspect of quality is about the determination of best practices of the science and methodologies at the core of how individuals and organizations design and execute market and public opinion research.  Simply put, this is about sound scientific practices and “goodness of fit” between the science we practice and the research goals and objectives addressed by the practice of market and public opinion research.

Pillar Three:  Infrastructure and Process Quality
Process standards are designed to produce transparent, consistent, well-documented and error-free methods of conducting research across our industry.  Adherence and accreditation to such standards provides a basis of confidence for clients and other constituencies that the work produced by our organizations is being executed with quality processes and controls in place.

ISO 20252 can be used as a framework for building a quality program although it doesn’t mandate the specifics of each process.  The process elements of research would be undertaken to an appropriate standard in a verifiable and consistent manner.  The standards can be used to guide the provision of research across countries in a consistent and transparent fashion. 

ISO 20252 improves productivity and efficiency by creating clear lines of accountability, reducing errors and rework, shortening cycle times, and reducing costs.  It also provides a basis for shortened training times and managing systems and processes, rather than people.  A related goal is to free staff to improve the deliverables and relationships with clients by having more consistent, reliable, and transparent processes that foster error-free products and services and on-time delivery.  As these standards become established on a global basis, global partners and sub-contractors can be evaluated in terms of practicing quality processes in a transparent, well-documented, and consistent fashion.

What are the next steps?

Certification to the ISO standard has been achieved by research companies in Europe, as well as Australia, Mexico, and elsewhere. CASRO’s perspective is that it is prudent for its members to look ahead to meeting and exceeding this standard within their businesses. We believe the result will be improved productivity, efficiency, cost effectiveness and ultimately increased profits. Adoption of this standard is especially important for companies operating globally. As a service to our member companies, CASRO is pursuing a US certification program for quality assurance. To expedite this initiative, the CASRO Board of Directors has established a Task Force that is developing:  (1) a platform of information and guidance on process standards and (2) a program of process standards implementation, certification and verification. The process will be an accessible, achievable, and verifiable credential for our member companies who are interested in pursuing this path. We will be communicating with CASRO members regarding the details of this effort.

How can a CASRO member obtain access to the standard?

The standard may be purchased through the U.S. member of ISO: ANSI (American National Standards Institute.)  Download Copy of the Standard: ISO 20252 Market, opinion and social research - Vocabulary and service requirements for $129.