Standards & Governance Catalog

Law

• American Bar Association (ABA)tier: primary · model-rules-US · model rules / professional standards
  Publishes the ABA Model Rules of Professional Conduct and related ethics resources.
  Binding when: A state supreme court or equivalent licensing authority adopts the rule text (with or without local amendments).
• International Bar Association (IBA)tier: primary · international · international professional association
  Publishes international legal-practice guidance including IBA Guidelines on Conflicts of Interest in International Arbitration and IBA Rules on the Taking of Evidence.
  Binding when: Parties adopt IBA Rules by agreement (e.g., in arbitration clauses) or a tribunal/regulator references them.
• World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO)tier: primary · international · UN specialized agency
  UN specialized agency administering international IP treaties and the Madrid, PCT, and Hague systems for trademark / patent / industrial design protection.
  Binding when: A state is party to the relevant WIPO-administered treaty and the treaty is implemented in national law.

Finance / Audit / Reporting

• Federal Accounting Standards Advisory Board (FASAB)tier: primary · US-federal · federal accounting standards advisory board
  Develops accounting standards and guidance used for federal GAAP in US federal entities.
  Binding when: A standard is recognized as federal GAAP and codified in the current FASAB Handbook.
• Financial Accounting Foundation (FAF)tier: primary · US-federal · oversight / governance body
  Provides oversight, administration, financing, and trustee appointments for FASB and GASB.
  Binding when: Governance outputs bind the boards it oversees (FASB, GASB); the boards themselves issue the standards.
• Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB)tier: primary · US-federal · accounting standard setter
  Establishes financial accounting and reporting standards (US GAAP) for public companies, private companies, and not-for-profit organizations.
  Binding when: An Accounting Standards Update is issued and the effective date applies to the reporting entity.
• Global Reporting Initiative (GRI)tier: primary · global-reporting · reporting standards organization
  Develops GRI Standards for sustainability-impact reporting (economic, environmental, social).
  Binding when: An organization voluntarily adopts GRI, or a jurisdiction/regulator requires GRI-aligned reporting.
• Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB)tier: primary · US-state-local · governmental accounting standard setter
  Establishes financial accounting and reporting standards for US state and local governments.
  Binding when: A GASB Statement is issued and the effective date applies to the reporting government.
• IFRS Foundationtier: primary · international · foundation / oversight body
  Provides governance, due process, and oversight for IASB (accounting) and ISSB (sustainability).
  Binding when: Governance outputs bind the Boards it oversees; standards themselves are issued by IASB/ISSB.
• International Accounting Standards Board (IASB)tier: primary · international · accounting standard setter
  Develops IFRS Accounting Standards used in many jurisdictions worldwide.
  Binding when: A jurisdiction adopts IFRS (with or without endorsement/carve-outs) and the reporting entity falls within that adoption.
• Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB)tier: primary · US-public-company-audit · audit standard setter / regulator
  Sets auditing, quality-control, ethics, and independence standards for registered public accounting firms auditing public companies, other issuers, and broker-dealers.
  Binding when: The PCAOB rule is adopted and the SEC approves it; registered firms must then comply on the relevant engagements.
• US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)tier: primary · US-federal · federal regulator
  Regulates US securities markets; administers disclosure rules (Regulation S-K, Regulation S-X), EDGAR filings, and approves PCAOB audit standards.
  Binding when: A rule is promulgated under the Securities Act / Exchange Act and applies to the reporting entity or market participant.

Engineering

• American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME)tier: primary · international · standards development organization
  Publishes codes and standards across pressure equipment, nuclear, piping, elevators, and mechanical engineering practice (e.g., ASME Boiler & Pressure Vessel Code, B31 Piping, Y14 Drafting).
  Binding when: A jurisdiction or contract references the ASME standard — many US states adopt the BPVC for pressure vessels by statute.
• BSI (British Standards Institution)tier: primary · UK · national standards body
  UK national standards body. Publishes British Standards (BS, BS EN) and supports broader standards activity.
  Binding when: A BS / BS EN is referenced in UK regulation, contract, or sector guidance.
• CEN-CENELEC (European Committees for Standardization)tier: primary · international · regional standards bodies
  Publish European Standards (EN) including the Eurocodes for structural design and the CENELEC electrotechnical EN series, often as EN adoptions of ISO/IEC text.
  Binding when: An EN is cited in EU regulation (Construction Products Regulation, Low Voltage Directive, Machinery Directive) or in a national adoption (BS EN, DIN EN, NF EN).
• IEEE Standards Association (IEEE SA)tier: primary · international · standards development organization
  Develops IEEE consensus standards across electrical, communications, software, power, and interoperability domains.
  Binding when: A standard is referenced in regulation, procurement, or a product certification.
• International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC)tier: primary · international · international electrotechnical standards body
  Publishes international standards for electrical, electronic, and related technologies.
  Binding when: A standard is referenced in regulation, procurement, or a national adoption (e.g., BS EN, JIS C).
• International Organization for Standardization (ISO)tier: primary · international · international standards body
  Publishes international standards across management systems, products, processes, services, and many technical sectors.
  Binding when: A standard is referenced in regulation, contract, procurement, or a national adoption (e.g., BS EN ISO).
• Japanese Standards Association (JSA)tier: primary · Japan · standards-development / national standards center
  Acts as a national center for standardization in Japan. Develops JSA Standards and supports JIS-related public processes.
  Binding when: A JIS is established through the formal public-law / ministerial process and adopted in regulation or procurement.
• World Wide Web Consortium (W3C)tier: primary · international · international standards consortium
  Develops open web standards (HTML, CSS, accessibility via WCAG, DOM, Web APIs, XML, RDF, privacy).
  Binding when: A regulation or contract references a W3C recommendation — e.g., WCAG via ADA / EN 301 549 / Section 508.

Construction

• Associated General Contractors of America (AGC)tier: secondary · US-construction-industry · industry association
  Provides construction-industry safety resources, advocacy, and practice support.
  Binding when: Not binding — industry guidance only.
• buildingSMART Internationaltier: primary · international · international standards development organization
  Develops open BIM (Building Information Modeling) standards including Industry Foundation Classes (IFC ISO 16739), BIM Collaboration Format (BCF), and Information Delivery Manual (IDM).
  Binding when: A project, contract, or public procurement mandates openBIM / IFC exchange (many European EU public projects now require this).
• International Code Council (ICC)tier: primary · international · model code body
  Develops the I-Codes (IBC, IRC, IFC, IMC, IPC, IECC, IEBC, IFGC, IRC-P, IPSDC, IPMC, ISPSC, IZC) and related model codes.
  Binding when: A jurisdiction's Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ) adopts a specific I-Code edition, with or without local amendments.
• Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)tier: primary · US-workplace-safety · regulator / enforcement body
  Sets and enforces workplace-safety standards in the United States.
  Binding when: The standard is promulgated under the OSH Act and applies to workplaces under federal OSHA or a state-plan state.

Health

• US Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)tier: primary · US-federal · federal regulator / payer
  US agency administering Medicare, Medicaid, CHIP, and health-insurance marketplace programs; sets conditions of participation and payment policy.
  Binding when: A CMS rule (e.g., final IPPS/OPPS rule, CoP) takes effect for participating facilities or payers.
• US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)tier: primary · US-federal · federal regulator
  US regulator for food, drugs, biologics, medical devices, tobacco, cosmetics, and radiation-emitting products.
  Binding when: A rule is promulgated under the FD&C Act or related statute and applies to the regulated product/facility.
• WHO — International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11)tier: primary · international · international classification standard
  WHO maintains the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11) — the global standard for disease and health-condition coding.
  Binding when: A country adopts ICD-11 for mortality/morbidity reporting, health-system records, or research coding.

Cybersecurity

• European Union Agency for Cybersecurity (ENISA)tier: primary · international · EU agency
  EU agency for cybersecurity certification, NIS2 implementation guidance, and EU-wide cyber threat landscape reports.
  Binding when: ENISA-supported certification schemes (e.g., EUCC) adopted under the EU Cybersecurity Act; NIS2 obligations on in-scope entities.
• NIST Cybersecurity Framework & SP 800-seriestier: primary · US-federal · federal standards / guidelines body
  NIST publishes the Cybersecurity Framework (CSF), SP 800-53 security and privacy controls, SP 800-171 for CUI, and post-quantum cryptography standards (FIPS 203/204/205).
  Binding when: Binding on US federal systems (FISMA, FedRAMP). Often referenced by private-sector contracts and regulations (e.g., DFARS 7012 → SP 800-171).

Energy

• International Energy Agency (IEA)tier: primary · international · intergovernmental analytical agency
  OECD-affiliated agency; publishes authoritative energy statistics, scenarios (World Energy Outlook), and policy analysis across fossil fuels, electricity, efficiency, and clean-energy transitions.
  Binding when: IEA itself is analytical; its data is referenced by member governments and regulators but isn't a regulatory instrument.
• International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA)tier: primary · international · intergovernmental organization
  Intergovernmental organization promoting adoption of renewable energy; publishes renewable-capacity statistics, cost data, and policy briefs.
  Binding when: IRENA produces non-binding guidance and datasets; national regulators set binding rules.

Transportation

• International Air Transport Association (IATA)tier: primary · international · industry standards body
  Trade association representing most international airlines; publishes standards for passenger, cargo, dangerous goods (DGR), and industry settlement.
  Binding when: IATA standards are incorporated into airline contracts, ground-handling agreements, or national regulation (e.g., DGR aligned with ICAO Technical Instructions).
• International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO)tier: primary · international · UN specialized agency
  UN specialized agency setting Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPs) for international civil aviation — airspace, airworthiness, ATM, environmental protection.
  Binding when: A Contracting State transposes a SARP into its national aviation regulation (CFRs / EASA regulations / CARs).

Agriculture / Food

• Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO)tier: primary · international · UN specialized agency
  UN specialized agency; publishes Codex Alimentarius (jointly with WHO) food standards and FAOSTAT agricultural statistics.
  Binding when: Codex Alimentarius standards are voluntary but widely adopted as the WTO SPS reference — national food-safety regulators incorporate them.

Adoption / jurisdiction authorities

Binding-text authorities. Model rules or codes become binding when these bodies adopt them in a specific jurisdiction. Deliberately small and curated — operator-driven expansion over a fake universal matrix.

• ABA Directory of State Disciplinary AuthoritiesUS-federal · directory · adopts: aba
  ABA-maintained directory pointing to each US jurisdiction's binding disciplinary rule-adoption authority.
• ICC Code Adoption MapsUS-federal · adoption-reference · adopts: icc
  ICC-maintained reference to which I-Code edition each US state or jurisdiction has adopted.
• New York State Unified Court SystemUS-NY · adoption · adopts: aba
  Adopts the New York Rules of Professional Conduct (22 NYCRR Part 1200) that apply to New York-admitted lawyers.
• State Bar of CaliforniaUS-CA · licensing · adopts: aba
  California licensing authority; issues ethics opinions and administers discipline under rules adopted by the Supreme Court of California.
• State Bar of TexasUS-TX · licensing · adopts: aba
  Texas licensing authority; administers discipline under the Texas Disciplinary Rules of Professional Conduct.
• Supreme Court of CaliforniaUS-CA · adoption · adopts: aba
  Adopts and amends the California Rules of Professional Conduct for lawyers licensed in California.
• Supreme Court of TexasUS-TX · adoption · adopts: aba
  Adopts the Texas Disciplinary Rules of Professional Conduct, applied to Texas-licensed lawyers.

Known coverage gaps (unmapped but recognized)

Bodies we recognize by name but do not yet ship cite-back metadata for. When you mention one of these in /ask, we link you to the body's official catalog page instead of pretending we have their standards text.

• AICPA (American Institute of Certified Public Accountants)coverage gap · finance
  Auditing Standards Board (ASB) writes SAS / SQMS / SSARS for non-issuer audits, reviews, and compilations. Ethics Division and Peer Review program also live here.
  Why not mapped: AICPA standards are primarily licensed; we point to the official index page for non-issuer audit standard catalog.
• AICPA SOC reports / Trust Services Criteriacoverage gap · finance
  AICPA-issued Trust Services Criteria (security, availability, processing integrity, confidentiality, privacy) are the criteria used for SOC 2 and SOC 3 attestation engagements on service-organization controls. SOC 1 engagements use SSAE 18 / AT-C 320 with the service organization's own control objectives instead.
  Why not mapped: AICPA Trust Services Criteria and SOC report guidance are licensed content with multiple stakeholder audiences (service org, user entity, user auditor). We link to the official SOC suite page rather than ship cite-back metadata.
• ANSI (American National Standards Institute)coverage gap · engineering
  US national standards coordinator. Accredits standards developers and oversees the US voluntary-consensus standards system; publishes ANSI standards across many domains (Z244.1 for energy isolation, Z87.1 for eye/face PPE, A117.1 accessibility, etc.).
  Why not mapped: ANSI coordinates and accredits rather than publishing a single body of standards. We link to the umbrella site; specific ANSI titles are published by the accredited developer.
• ASHRAE (American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers)coverage gap · construction
  Publishes ASHRAE 90.1 (energy-efficiency for commercial buildings), 62.1 (ventilation), 189.1 (high-performance green buildings), and the ASHRAE Handbook series.
  Why not mapped: ASHRAE standards are licensed; we link to the official standards catalog.
• ASTM Internationalcoverage gap · engineering
  Publishes ASTM International Standards across materials, products, systems, and services — e.g. ASTM C33 (concrete aggregates), ASTM A615 (deformed steel bars), ASTM E84 (surface burning characteristics).
  Why not mapped: ASTM standards are licensed content; we link to the standards-and-publications portal.
• IAASB (International Auditing and Assurance Standards Board)coverage gap · finance
  Sets International Standards on Auditing (ISA), International Standards on Quality Management (ISQM), and related review/assurance/other services standards.
  Why not mapped: Not yet in the approved-source registry; we point to the official IAASB pronouncements page.
• ISSB (International Sustainability Standards Board)coverage gap · finance
  Develops IFRS Sustainability Disclosure Standards (S1, S2). Operates under the IFRS Foundation alongside IASB.
  Why not mapped: ISSB-specific topic routing is not yet split out from the IFRS Foundation pack; its domain alias catches the reference meanwhile.
• NEC / NFPA 70 (National Electrical Code)coverage gap · construction
  NFPA 70, the National Electrical Code, is the US model electrical installation code. Adopted by most US jurisdictions with amendments.
  Why not mapped: NEC is the most-asked-for NFPA title; the NFPA entry above already covers it, but we call it out separately for routing clarity.
• NFPA (National Fire Protection Association)coverage gap · construction
  Publishes NFPA 70 (National Electrical Code / NEC), NFPA 70E (electrical safety in the workplace), NFPA 101 (Life Safety Code), NFPA 13 (sprinkler installation), and many more.
  Why not mapped: NFPA standards are licensed content without a keyless public endpoint; we link to the official catalog page rather than ship cite-back metadata.
• NIOSH (National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health)coverage gap · health
  US occupational-safety research. Publishes criteria documents, exposure limits (RELs), and PPE certification (e.g. N95 respirators).
  Why not mapped: NIOSH sits under CDC; its topic routing is not yet split out. Workplace-safety REGULATION is OSHA; NIOSH is research / recommendations.
• UL (Underwriters Laboratories / UL Solutions)coverage gap · engineering
  Product safety certification; publishes UL standards (e.g. UL 508A industrial control panels, UL 1741 DER inverters, UL 924 emergency lighting).
  Why not mapped: UL publishes certification standards commercially; we link to the standards catalog for lookup.