National standards body (NSB)
The NSB has the primary responsibility to oversee the development of national standards and to publish the same. The NSB should ensure that standards development processes in the country meet the requirements of Annex 3 of the WTO TBT Agreement if the country is a WTO member or if it intends to become one.
Regional standards organisation
A standards organisation whose membership is open to the relevant national body from each country within one geographical, political or economic area only
International standards organisation
A standards organisation whose membership is open to the relevant national body from every country
Company
Consortium (a group of companies)
Industry sector (SDO, Standards Developing Organization)
NGO (Non Governmental Organization)
Intergovernmental organization

The development of a standards can be imitated by many different actors, such as:
- Organizations that have, as a principal function, the preparation, approval or adoption of standards that are made available to the public
- These are usually industry- or sector-based standards organizations, which develop and publish industry specific standards
- Most of these organizations have a national scope (some of them have an international dimension – although the mechanisms to ensure representation of international interests are sometimes questioned)
- The standards development process is normally open, transparent and consensus-based