Conflicting Codes and Standards: What Happens Now?

Standards are written by a group of knowledgeable individuals from industry, academia, or other similar sources.   Standards are adopted under ridged rules set forth by ANSI or other nationally recognized certifying body.  Eventually standards find their way into code formulated by independent code authorities. These codes are adopted by the regulatory authorities. We, as engineers, must design to both the standards and the code.  What happens if standards and code conflict?  What is the general impact of this conflict?  What do we, as engineers, need to do?  How do we change or modify the code?