ISO 2859 is an international standard that provides guidelines for sampling plans used in quality control. It helps organizations determine the number of items to inspect from a larger batch to assess quality without examining every single item. This standard is particularly useful in manufacturing and production settings. The standard outlines different sampling plans based on the acceptable quality level (AQL), which defines the maximum number of defective items allowed in a sample. By following ISO 2859, companies can efficiently manage quality assurance processes while minimizing costs and time associated with full inspections.