As the voice of the U.S. standards and conformity assessment system, the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) empowers its members and constituents to strengthen the U.S. marketplace position in the global economy while helping to assure the safety and health of consumers and the protection of the environment. The Institute oversees the creation, promulgation and use of thousands of norms and guidelines that directly impact businesses in nearly every sector: from acoustical devices to construction equipment, from dairy and livestock production to energy distribution, and many more. ANSI is also actively engaged in accrediting programs that assess conformance to standards - including globally-recognized cross-sector programs such as the ISO 9000 (quality) and ISO 14000 (environmental) management systems. Comprised of government agencies, organizations, companies, academic and international bodies, and individuals, the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) represents the interests of more than 125,000 companies and 3.5 million professionals. Active participation in ANSI and its programs provides access rights to information and business intelligence that is not available elsewhere, discounts on many products and services, and the opportunity to build relationships that empower members with a voice and influence over the standardization and conformity assessment decisions that directly affect their business. ANSI's mission is to enhance both the global competitiveness of U.S. business and the U.S. quality of life by promoting and facilitating voluntary consensus standards and conformity assessment systems, and safeguarding their integrity.