Having the latest trends and insights can help associations add value for their members, and boost their own resilience in the face of change
Businesses have long looked to trade associations to provide reliable information and support. But trade associations are going through a transition period. Their role in society is becoming more complicated as technology transforms how industries work, globalization changes the workforce and economy, and competitors are forcing established organizations to find new, agile ways of doing business[1].
Higher Logic, an association engagement specialist, says that associations are “likely dealing with all these changes at the same time, many of which have already reshaped industries and altered member dynamics”.
To adapt to these changes, trade associations must be able to provide members with services that help their organization and industry to thrive. They must, for example, publish timely and informative content on key issues on their websites or in regular journals, giving members immediate access to news or developments that affect them.
Standards are key
A key area where trade associations can add value is by providing the latest trends, insights and updates on industry best practices and standards, helping members stay ahead of the game.
Any line of work has a specific set of standards to ensure good practice is maintained in areas such as quality, health and safety, environmental management, customer service, and many more. Membership in a trade association is a vital link to learning these practices and improving your business performance. Questions that members are sure to ask include:
- “Which standards are most important to my business?”
- “Which standards would help me to scale an innovation, improve quality or adopt digital technologies?”
- “How will future planned standards impact my business?”
- “I’m developing a new product - which standards do I need to comply with?”
- “I want to improve a business process and need to know what existing best practice I can follow”
- “Which standards must I comply with when trading overseas?”
But the fast pace of technology and market competition means that best practices are constantly updating and changing. Plus, standards that are important to members may span multiple areas. Clearly, trade associations need to know – and be able to pass on to their members – the latest updates on current relevant standards, as well as information on new standards coming down the track.
Add value with knowledge
BSI can help. As the UK’s National Standards Body, we have an extensive network across governments, private companies, universities, and research centres. Alongside our dedicated, multi-disciplinary research team, this enables us to deliver research and intelligence services that are tailored to your trade association’s needs.
Our ‘Standards Watch’ service keeps you up to date with existing or new standards relevant to your members. Your association can save time and money by having reports tailored to your specific industry needs, presented in a user-friendly way, and delivered on a quarterly basis.
For example, we helped the UK Government’s Centre for Connected and Autonomous Vehicles (CCAV) to keep ahead of global developments in CAV technologies. We provided clear visibility of all relevant global standards - published, in the draft, or at the proposal stage – and monitored and reported changes on an ongoing basis. This enabled CCAV to identify where the UK could lead in efforts to support the safe and successful deployment of CAVs.
Many trade associations also provide a forum for members to share ideas and develop new ways to improve their industry through the creation of special interest groups or by collaborating on R&D projects. The insight provided by BSI’s Research and Intelligence service will enable your members to participate and have their say in determining future industry changes, shaping best practice and developing new standards.
For example, we worked with the Confederation of Paper Industries to provide updates and mapping standards across 12 key areas, helping them to see opportunities to get involved in standards-making. “The Standards Watch report allows us to highlight areas of change to our members, identifying areas where we may need to gather further information or get more directly involved with a specific developing standard. It enables us to see developments in a diverse selection of relevant standards that we might otherwise miss, so we don’t lose the opportunity for further involvement in standards development” says Debbie Stringer, Environment Manager at the Confederation of Paper Industries. Read the full case study here.
Stay relevant and resilient
When COVID-19 hit and many people started working from home, trade associations noted an increase in onsite engagement, with articles and news traffic up. That trend seems set to continue, not only to support flexible workers but because the pace of technological and business change is driving people to dig deeper for credible content and pay more attention to high-value, in-depth resources.
BSI Research and Intelligence provide credible insight that associations can trust. Our Standards Watch service can save associations time and resources by identifying the right standards and information. This means that members can benefit from faster, more informed decision-making, cost-efficiencies, and potential competitive advantage, and helps associations stay relevant today and resilient for the future.
Want to know more?
Find out how we can help you with bespoke standards mapping, research and insight or speak to an expert for a free consultation.
