International Business: Industry Classification

Replaced the U.S. Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) system in 1997; it's a 5- or 6-digit number. You can search by keyword, and there are tables to convert from NAICS to SIC, and SIC to NAICS. The NAICS was developed jointly by the U.S., Canada, and Mexico to compare statistics about business activity across North America.

Convert from different versions of NAICS, or from NAICS to other classification systems (SIC, ISIC.) Choose the "Concordances" link.

The U.S. government classified business activity according to the SIC system until the adoption of NAICS in 1997. It's searchable by code or by keyword. Some business sources still feature SIC code search options.

3-5 digit classification system for products produced by service industries in 12 NAICS sectors in the 48-49 through 81 divisions. Is a complement to NAICS and organizes products primarily by their use. Implementation started in 2007.

Created by Standard & Poor's and MSCI Barra to provide standardized industry definitions for industries worldwide.

Developed by Dow Jones Indexes and FTSE, ICB is a global system for investment analysis. It is used by many index funds, stock exchanges, and major financial publications.

2-digit classification developed by the United Nations for tracking international economic activity.

System recommended by the United Nations Statistical Commission to track international merchandise trade among various countries.