ISO 22300:2021

Overview

ISO 22300:2021 - Security and resilience - Vocabulary is the third edition (2021) of ISO’s core vocabulary for security and resilience standards. It defines generic and subject‑specific terms used across the ISO 22300 family and selected documents in the ISO 28000 family, promoting consistent language in policies, procedures and standards. Prepared by ISO/TC 292 in collaboration with CEN/TC 391, this document is a reference tool for standardizers, practitioners and authorities involved in resilience, emergency management and security operations.

Key topics

ISO 22300:2021 organizes terminological entries into subject subclauses and includes:

• General security and resilience terms - foundational definitions such as access, asset, audit, activity, communication and consultation, command and control.
• Business continuity vocabulary - definitions for business continuity, business continuity management (BCM), business continuity management system (BCMS), business continuity plan and business impact analysis.
• Operational and emergency terms - alert, all clear, affected area, area at risk, incident, response and recovery concepts.
• Specialized areas - subject‑specific entries limited to their context:
  • Counterfeiting tax stamps (3.2)
  • Supply chain terminology (3.3)
  • CCTV system vocabulary (3.4)
• Cross‑discipline entries - audit/auditor, capacity, stakeholder/interest‑party terms and references to related ISO terminological resources (ISO OBP, IEC Electropedia).

Notes in the standard clarify use (for example, when a term applies only within a specific subclause) and reflect updates from related standards (e.g., references to ISO 22301:2019).

Applications

ISO 22300:2021 is a practical reference for:

• Standards developers and technical committees who need consistent terminology when drafting security and resilience standards.
• Business continuity and resilience professionals implementing or auditing a BCMS and writing plans, policies and after‑action reports.
• Emergency planners, public safety authorities and incident managers who require unambiguous operational terms (alerts, affected area, command and control).
• Security integrators and procurement teams working with CCTV systems, supply chain security, or anti‑counterfeiting measures, ensuring consistent specifications and contracts.
• Legal, regulatory and certification bodies that rely on harmonized definitions for compliance, reporting and training.

Using ISO 22300 reduces misinterpretation, improves interoperability across organisations, and supports clear communication in emergency management, resilience planning and security operations.

Related standards

• ISO 22300 family (vocabulary support for resilience standards)
• Relevant management standards referenced in entries (for example, ISO 22301:2019 on business continuity management systems)
• ISO Online Browsing Platform and IEC Electropedia for authoritative terminological databases

Keywords: ISO 22300:2021, security and resilience vocabulary, business continuity, BCMS, ISO/TC 292, CCTV system, supply chain security, counterfeiting tax stamps.