Which organization decides whether a proposed emoji is added to the Unicode Standard?

The Unicode Consortium decides whether a proposed emoji is added to the Unicode Standard.

The Unicode Consortium is a nonprofit organization responsible for maintaining Unicode, the international character-encoding system used by modern software. Its Unicode Emoji Subcommittee evaluates emoji proposals and makes recommendations through the Consortium's technical processes.

A proposal is assessed using factors such as expected frequency of use, distinctiveness, compatibility with existing systems and whether the image can communicate clearly. Approval defines a character and its properties; it does not prescribe one universal illustration. Apple, Google, Microsoft and other vendors independently design the artwork shown to users.

The Unicode Consortium is often confused with a company that manufactures emoji or with the International Organization for Standardization. ISO publishes many international standards, while the Consortium maintains Unicode. The Unicode Technical Committee oversees the broader standard, but emoji decisions involve the dedicated emoji review process.