60th Anniversary marks the importance of BSI Kitemark® in assuring the safety of consumers

It is marking the occasion with a drive to increase the British public’s contribution to the development of new standards.

Since 1951 the public has been involved in creating and promoting standards through the Women’s Advisory Committee (WAC) to ensure products are safe and appropriate. 

Early tasks included defining the optimum vest length, safe use of pressure cookers and effectiveness of motorcycle helmets. 

Anne Ferguson, Manager for Consumer and Public Interest Standardization at BSI said “Our standards now cover a wide range of products and services and standards exist for items from garden tools to postal services to baby buggies and mobile phone emissions.

Since the 1950s WAC has evolved into the BSI Consumer and Public Interest Network, which currently chaired by consumer watchdog, Lynn Faulds Wood. 

The network’s focus is to encourage consumer contributions into the standards development process to add a balanced, impartial view and help to produce standards which reflect more accurately the needs and desires of the entire marketplace.

Anne Ferguson, continues: “Consumer involvement in standardisation not only promotes safer, healthier and more environmentally sound products and services, it also increases consumer confidence in the quality and reliability of products and services.”

First registered in 1903, the BSI Kitemark is still recognised by the consumer as the UK’s symbol for quality, reassurance and trust.

Three new Kitemark schemes have been launched over the past year for household gas and electrical appliances such as those used for cooking, water heating, refrigeration, space heating, leisure and camping as well as related control and safety devices associated with these appliances.

BSI has also launched the Energy Reduction Verification Kitemark – a new scheme which provides UK organisations with a superior, easier and more cost effective route to verify reductions in energy use to meet the demands of the CRC Scheme.

For further details about the Kitemark visit www.Kitemark.com or to get involved with the BSI Consumer and Public Interest Network please contact BSI at getinvolved@bsigroup.com.

BSI Group is a global independent business services organization which enables businesses, governments and other organizations to increase profits and market access, and to enhance reputation with its standards-based solutions and assurance services. From its origins as the world’s first National Standards Body, BSI Group draws upon over 100 years’ experience to partner with 66,000 organizations in 147 countries from its 50 offices. Today, through its independence, innovation and integrity, BSI continues to improve the lives of millions by raising standards worldwide.

Lynn Faulds Wood is the Chair of BSI’s Consumer & Public Interest Strategic Advisory Committee (CPISAC) and Network of CPI volunteers.  Lynn presented the popular BBC consumer rights TV programme, Watchdog, for nine years, helping to bring in many new laws (bunk beds, cookers), new British Standards (toasters, food processors, irons, condoms) and multi-million pound recalls (cars, cookers, pushchairs). She was also responsible for the redesign of many household products.