The PCI SSC was founded in 2006 as a joint venture between the five largest payment card brands (Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discover, and JCB). Its goal was to create a clear and interoperable set of standards for protecting consumer information. Although the SSC does not enforce compliance itself, the PCI DSS is now widely accepted and applies to all organizations dealing with credit, debit, or cash card information, regardless of size or industry.