ISO 15489: International Standard on Records Management
What is ISO 15489?
The International Standard on Records Management, ISO 15489, was launched in October 2001 at the Association of Records Management and Administrator's (ARMA) International Conference in Montreal. The Standard was developed by an international committee and is strongly based on the Australian Standard on Records Management, AS 4390-1996: Records Management.
What is its purpose?
ISO 15489 was designed to meet the ongoing generic needs for recordkeeping in a business environment, and is of use in government and non-government organisations.
The standard has two parts.
- ISO 15489 Part 1: General gives a high level framework for recordkeeping and explains the benefits of good records management, the legal considerations and the importance of making someone responsible for recordkeeping. This part also looks at what's needed for good records management, designing recordkeeping systems, records management processes, auditing and training.
- ISO 15489 Part 2: Guidelines is a guide to putting the advice given in Part 1 into practice. It provides specific detail on developing records management policy and responsibility statements and suggests a process for developing recordkeeping systems. It also provides advice about developing records processes and controls such as thesauri, disposal authorities, and security and access arrangements. It discusses how you might use these tools to manage (including capturing, registering, classifying and storing) your records. It also gives specific advice about setting up monitoring, auditing and training programmes.
Does Archives New Zealand endorse ISO 15489?
Yes. Archives New Zealand endorses ISO 15489 as a code of best practice for government recordkeeping. We have incorporated its principles into our Create and Maintain Recordkeeping Standard which was issued in 2008. This standard is a practical recordkeeping framework for the New Zealand State Sector.
Where can I get a copy?
Copies of ISO 15489 can be purchased from:
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