World Standards Day or International Standards day is annually celebrated on October 14 by the members of the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and the International Telecommunication Union (ITU). It is celebrated as a way of paying tribute to the collaborative efforts of many experts globally, namely American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), and Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) who develop the voluntary technical agreements that are published as International Standards.
Theme of World Standards Day 2020– “Protecting the planet with standards”.
Key Info
The day also aims to raise awareness about the importance of standardisation to the global economy among the consumers, regulators and industry.
This will enhance peace and prosperity of earth without harming it.
Reason Behind the Theme
Grab the opportunity to combat climate change with the power of international standards.
Winners of World Standards Day 2020 poster competition
Winner- Jyoti Bisht from India
Runners-up- Avishek Sahoo from India and Mohsen Jafari from the Islamic Republic of Iran.
Background
i.This day(October 14) was specifically chosen, as delegates from 25 countries first gathered in London in 1946 and decided to create an international organization focusing on facilitating standardization.
ii.It is to be noted that ISO was formed a year later in 1947.
iii.The first World Standards Day was celebrated in 1970.
About Standards
i.All aspects of energy savings, water and air quality are covered by standards.
ii.Especially ISO 14001 is the universal benchmark for best practice in environmental management, which can be applied to businesses of any size.
Bureau of Indian Standards
i.Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) is the national standard body of India established under the BIS Act 2016 in October 2017.
ii.It is working under the aegis of Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution, Government of India.
iii.It is responsible for the harmonious development of the activities of standardization, marking and quality certification of goods and for any related or incidental matters.
About International Organization for Standardization (ISO):
HeadQuarters– Geneva, Switzerland
Members– 165, including India
President- Eddy Njoroge(Kenya)
