World Standards Day (WSD) also known as International Standards Day is annually observed across the globe on October 14 to educate consumers, policymakers, and businesses about the value of standardisation.
- The day is organised by the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), International Organization for Standardization (ISO), and International Telecommunication Union (ITU), collaborating under the banner “World Standard Cooperation”.
The theme of World Standards Day 2022 is ‘Shared Vision for a Better World’. 2022 follows the same theme as 2021.
- The theme is part of the IEC, ISO and ITU multi-year campaign to increase understanding about how standardisation is important to achieve the United Nations(UN)’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
Background:
i. The 1st World Standards Day was formally inaugurated in 1970 by Faruk Sunter, then-President of the ISO.
ii. The day is a collaborative initiative of International standards bodies like ISO, IEC, and ITU.
Why 14th October:
October 14 was decided as World Standards Day to remember the 1st meeting of representatives from 25 nations in London in 1946.
- It was the 1st meeting of delegates of the IEC, ISO and ITU.
Objective:
By 2030, international standards are recognized as an integral part of the success of the SDGs
Shared Vision for a Better World:
- The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) aim to address many social imbalances, including making our world more accessible, more equitable, and more sustainable.
- This campaign is to increase understanding of how standardisation is important to achieve the United Nations’ sustainable development goals.
Sustainable Development Goals:
The SDG was adopted by the United Nations (UN) in 2015 which is designed to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure that by 2030 all people enjoy peace and prosperity.
Standards, Sustainability and the Role of Geneva:
i. Global collaboration is necessary to achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
ii. Standardization is about empowerment. By bringing all voices together, IEC, ISO and ITU help break down inequalities in which everyone deserves a voice, regardless of gender or economic status.
- Sustainability has 3 main pillars: economic, environmental, and social. These 3 pillars are informally referred to as people, planet, and profits.
iii. Many actors in the Geneva region are engaged in developing and mainstreaming standards to achieve better environmental outcomes.
About International Organization for Standardization (ISO):
President- Ulrika Francke
Headquarters- Geneva, Switzerland
Establishment- 1947
Members- 167 national standards bodies
About the International Telecommunication Union (ITU):
Secretary-General- Houlin Zhao
Headquarters- Geneva, Switzerland
Establishment- 1865
Members- 193 Member States
