IEEE SA Entity Program

The IEEE SA Entity Program supports the IEEE SA mission of advancing technology for the benefit of humanity by providing industry, research institutions and governmental entities a globally open, inclusive, and transparent environment for market relevant, voluntary consensus standardization.

The IEEE SA Entity Program is governed by the Entity Collaborative Activities Governance Board (CAG), a committee of the IEEE SA Board of Governors (BOG). The CAG serves as an advisory body to IEEE SA entity members and the IEEE SA BOG, developing rules that govern the “Entity Standards Development Process,” which all IEEE Entity Standards follow.

To clarify, in reference to Entity Program participants, IEEE’s official position is to utilize the terms “entity” or to refer to participants who are “persons of any category other than an individual” rather than using the term “corporate.” This is appropriate because other “non-individuals” such as organizations, government agencies, and academic institutions can also participate in an entity ballot. So, while “Corporate Standards” is used as a general term, it doesn’t cover all the possibilities for participation, and the official rules do recognize this in their terminology.

Most of the standards development policies and procedures of IEEE apply to both standards developed under IEEE’s individual method of development and to standards developed under the Corporate or Entity method. However, to ensure a fair and equitable process, there are established rules and processes that specifically apply to the Entity Process. These rules should be implemented by the Standards Committee of any entity working group and are defined in the Baseline Policies & Procedures for Entity Working Groups (DOC).

The IEEE SA Standards Board Bylaws and Standards Board Operations Manual contain specific rules concerning entity standards development.

Clause 5.2.1: Participation in IEEE standards development

Shows that entity participation and representation is acceptable for an IEEE standards development group

Clause 5.2.1.4: Openness

States that all IEEE standards development meetings and official Standards Association ballots have to be open to all participants. (Voting rights at meetings are usually determined by the rules of the Standards Committee or the specific working group.)

Clause 5.2.2: Standards Committee

Defines Standards Committees and shows the various types found at IEEE.

Clause 5.2.2.3: Standards Association balloting group

Defines “person,” which includes all the various types of entity participants. Also states the type of balloting group and voting rights in the working group is determined when the PAR is created.

Clause 5.4: Standards Association ballot

The rules concerning how a ballot group is defined and conducting a ballot.

Clause 5.4.1.1: Balloting group made of entities

Addresses how to identify balloting participants in an entity ballot; persons who are of any category other than individual.