ISO 20252:2012 establishes the terms and definitions as well as the service requirements for organizations and professionals conducting market,opinion and social research.

The standard sets out requirements for a quality management system. The standard requires senior management to be responsible for quality of client service, and the development, interpretation and continual improvement of the system. It also requires the appointment of a quality manager with sufficient authority to be responsible for and have control over the entire system.

The standard also sets out requirements for the confidentiality of research, project documentation, training, outsourcing, and reviewing the effectiveness of the quality system as a whole.