Standards make life smooth

Imagine a world where your credit card would not fit into every cash machine or where you could not just stroll into a shop and find the right light bulb for your lamp. Also imagine a world without telephone codes, country and currency codes and access to the Internet. How would you know where a call came from, or how to reach a specific region? If we didn't have standards, communication between people, machines, parts and products would have been extremely difficult.
Since 1970, World Standards Day has been observed in various ways throughout the world. Conferences, exhibitions, seminars, TV and radio interviews, and even "World Standards Week" events take place annually on or around  October 14.
The goal of World Standards Day is to raise awareness of the importance of global standardisation to the world economy and to promote its role in helping meet the needs of business, industry, government, and consumers worldwide. World Standards Day also pays tribute to the thousands of volunteers around the world who participate in standardisation activities.
The October 14 was chosen as World Standards Day by the International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO) to commemorate the anniversary of the first meeting of delegates from 25 countries that resulted in the formation of ISO. The International Electro technical Commission (IEC) joined with ISO in the celebration of World Standards Day in 1988, and the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) was added in 1993.
The ISO, IEC and ITU have chosen the theme of the World Standards Day 2015 as  "Standards - the world's common language".
In the globalised world, common language is very much essential to communicate with each other. For example, graphical symbols display important information quickly and clearly, no matter what language we speak or read - be they wash and care instructions on clothes, emergency evacuation signs, or electrical equipment instructions. But if everyone used different symbols for the same message, they would not serve their purpose!
Technology also needs standards to communicate. Have you ever wondered how your computer sends your documents to a printer from a different manufacturer? Standards set out common rules and parameters so that products can work with each other. Standard file formats like MPEG and JPEG enable us to share videos and photos with family and friends using technology from different vendors.
Now imagine how difficult it would be to order products and parts from international suppliers if we didn't have standardised units of measurement. "Small", "medium" and "large" mean different things to different people. Not only are standards good for trade, they also make it easy for people around the world to work together.
International Standards are like the Rosetta stone of technology. They are essential for products to work together smoothly and for people to communicate easily. When standards are in place things just work, but if they are not used we instantly notice it. In a world without standards, routine activities we take for granted, like making a call, surfing the Web or using our credit cards when we travel, would be much more complicated, nearly impossible.
Initiated by the Standards Engineering Society in 1990, the US celebration of World Standards Day is now a joint effort between the private and public sectors. The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) co-chair the event with participation by some 50 trade associations, professional societies, standards development organisations, corporations, and government agencies.
The US celebration of World Standards Day includes a reception, exhibits, dinner, and presentation of the Ronald H. Brown Standards Leadership Award. Named after the late US Secretary of Commerce, the award recognises demonstrated leadership in promoting the important role of standardisation in eliminating global barriers to trade.
Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution (BSTI) is mandated by law to declare Bangladesh Standards (BDS). BSTI is a member of ISO since 1974. Every year BSTI observes the World Standards Day by publishing special supplements in newspapers, organising seminars, television talk-shows.
South Asian Regional Standards Organisation (SARSO) has been formed to develop and harmonise SAARC Standards with its headquarters in Dhaka. The newly-formed SARSO has started functioning with experts from SAARC countries.
Standards make life safer, healthier and easier for people, organisations and enterprises all over the world. They enable communication, trade and resource mobilisation easier. From global heavyweights to small local firms, from ambitious startups to long established household names, from hospitality, catering and retail businesses to high tech innovators can get benefit from standards. Businesses can use established standards to reduce time, effort and money instead of investing for research and development of new products. Standards compliance can provide competitive advantage; it could well be a deciding factor when a buyer has to choose between two comparable suppliers.
The writer is Director General,
Bangladesh Accreditation
Board (BAB).
[email protected]