Standards are not just created. There is a whole process around this called 'normalization'.
During the process, agreements are made between parties that have an interest in ensuring that these agreements are reached. These can be industrial parties, but also government ministries, consumer organizations, fire brigades, universities, etc. The agreements are then made, recorded and periodically checked by the best minds.
Why do all those parties create standards?
Standards ensure that everything is safe, good, efficient, sustainable and reliable. Everything fits together and everyone knows what to expect from each other. The government could also create standards (and they sometimes help with that), but then there are three problems:
- It's national. The Dutch government is (very surprising…) only about the Netherlands. The parties that create standards also bring foreign influences and markets with them.
- The government decides. The business community would then have to adapt every time. What if your way of working is much faster, better and cheaper?
- Changing laws is not that quick. Standards are revised as the market changes. This keeps them current and relevant.