Taking place every year on 14 October, World Standards Day (WSD) offers an opportunity to raise awareness and increase understanding of the importance of standardization. It is a collaborative initiative of the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), who each year develop campaign elements to empower the global community.

About

14 October is World Standards Day and offers an opportunity to raise awareness and increase understanding of the importance of standardization. Standards touch almost every part of our daily lives. They ensure that products and services work the way that we expect them to, making life safer and more enjoyable. Standards are essential to achieving the 2030 Agenda and creating a fairer, more sustainable world.

2021 Theme: Shared Vision for a Better World

2021 marks the start of a multi-year campaign to increase understanding of how international standards contribute to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. The objective is that by 2030, international standards are recognized as an integral part of the success of the SDGs.

Standards, Sustainability and the Role of Geneva

International standards bring technological, economic and societal benefits. They help to harmonize specifications of products and services, making industry more efficient and breaking down barriers to international trade. Conformity to international standards can help reassure consumers that products and services are safe, efficient and environmentally responsible. Many actors in the Geneva region are engaged in developing and mainstreaming standards to achieve better environmental outcomes. Read more in our thematic page below.