World Standards Day: October 13, 2022

Many people take standards for granted; however, it is important to remember that you encounter standards every day! The next time you attend a CGA meeting, think of all things around you that are affected by standards. The clothes you wear, the suitcase you use, the car that takes you to the airport, the airplane that flies to your destination, the hotel you stay in, the office building where you attend the meeting, and computer and phone that you use are built on thousands of standards. And that’s only to name a few!

Since 1970, World Standards Day has been celebrated across the globe on/around October 13 by many organization including the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC). This day recognizes and honors the collaborative efforts of thousands of experts who participate in standardization activities. The aim of World Standards Day is to raise awareness among regulators, industry, and consumers on the importance of standardization to society and the global economy.  For more information on World Standards Day, visit https://www.worldstandardsday.org/home.html

The U.S. celebration of World Standards Day is a week-long event recognizing the importance of various stakeholder groups across the standards community, including business leaders, industry, academia, trade associations, professional societies, standards development organizations, corporations, and government agencies. CGA staff regularly attend this event in order engage with these key stakeholders. For the schedule of this year’s events, visit https://www.ansi.org/events/standards-events/world-standards-day

Each year, Standards Council of Canada (SCC), Canada’s national accreditation body, also celebrates World Standards Day and pays tribute to the collaborative efforts of those volunteers who give their time and expertise to this important work. SCC also uses this opportunity to communicate the value of standardization to a wider range of people. For information on SCC’s events, visit https://www.scc.ca/en/news-events/events/wsd

To celebrate with CGA, use the hashtag #CGAWorldStandardsWeek and tell your peers why standards matter to you, thank a volunteer for their work, or share how you’ve contributed to standards development!