The Certification Institute for Research Quality (CIRQ), an International Standards Organization (ISO) audit and certification body that is a subsidiary of the Insights Association, welcomes the publication of ISO 20252:2026, Market, opinion and social research, including insights and data analytics — Vocabulary and service requirements.
For more than a decade, CIRQ has audited and certified market research and consumer insights agencies to ISO 20252, helping organizations demonstrate their commitment to rigorous, transparent and consistently applied research processes.
“The revisions in ISO 20252:2026 are needed, timely, and forward-looking as they reflect the many new technologies reshaping how research and insights are produced and delivered,” said Juliana Wood, Managing Director of CIRQ. “Its new requirements for AI and automation, together with strengthened provisions for sampling, panel management and data quality, will help organizations embrace innovation while maintaining the rigor, transparency and trust that clients and the public expect.”
Wood also serves as Secretariat to the U.S. Technical Advisory Group for ISO/Technical Committee 225, the global group of market research experts responsible for managing and collaborating on updates to ISO 20252.
The fourth edition of the standard has been revised to reflect the growing use of AI, automation and emerging research methods, as well as changing consumer behaviors and heightened expectations for privacy, security and data integrity. It provides a consistent international framework covering all stages of a research study, from the initial engagement between a client and service provider through project execution and the presentation of results.
Key updates include:
- AI and automation policies and monitoring requirements across research practices.
- Strengthened data quality requirements for sampling and panel management.
- Updated terminology and closer alignment with other ISO standards.
- Technical revisions reflecting current research practices and expectations for respondent privacy, data protection and security.
“Artificial intelligence is opening up significant opportunities to work faster, to reach and understand people in new ways, and to deliver sharper insights for organizations,” said Debrah Harding, Chair of ISO/TC 225. “However, these benefits will only be realized if we can maintain trust in research.”
Harding added that ISO 20252:2026 provides a clear and consistent global framework for embracing new technology while maintaining data quality and protecting the “rigor, transparency and credibility on which our impact relies.”
More than 400 research agencies worldwide are currently third-party certified to ISO 20252. As trust becomes an increasingly important factor in how research partners are evaluated and selected, independent certification provides organizations with a meaningful way to demonstrate that their practices meet internationally recognized requirements.
CIRQ will work with its ISO 20252-certified organizations to support their transition to the revised standard and will provide additional guidance regarding implementation and certification requirements.
ISO 20252:2026 is available through national ISO members and the ISO Store.
About CIRQ
A subsidiary of the Insights Association, CIRQ (the Certification Institute for Research Quality) was established to provide assessment and certification services to market research firms seeking certification to ISO 20252 and ISO 27001. A non-profit entity, CIRQ is committed to providing timely, thorough, and impartial assessments of its customers' research process management or information security management systems regarding certification to corresponding standards. CIRQ was established in compliance with all ISO requirements for certification bodies that provide auditing and certification services and is fully accredited by ANSI’s National Accreditation Board. To conform to its mandate of objective and impartial audits to these ISO standards, CIRQ is independently operated and managed under the oversight of an independent Board of Directors and submits to annual moderation by external authorities on ISO certification bodies. For more information, contact Juliana Wood.