ANSI also accredits organizations that carry out product or personnel certification in accordance with requirements defined in international standards.

[4] The organization's headquarters are in Washington, D.C. ANSI's operations office is located in New York City.

According to Adam Stanton, the first permanent secretary and head of staff in 1919, AESC started as an ambitious program and little else.

Staff for the first year consisted of one executive, Clifford B. LePage, who was on loan from a founding member, ASME.

In 1931, the organization (renamed ASA in 1928) became affiliated with the U.S. National Committee of the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), which had been formed in 1904 to develop electrical and electronics standards.

ANSI accreditation signifies that the procedures used by standards developing organizations meet the institute's requirements for openness, balance, consensus, and due process.

ANSI participates in almost the entire technical program of both the ISO and the IEC, and administers many key committees and subgroups.