BSI were delighted to host ISO Week during September 2021. Broadcast from a purpose-built studio at the Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre in London, this was the first ever virtual ISO General Assembly (GA). With over 1000 registered delegates from over 140 ISO members, it was the largest ISO GA to date, and had the lowest carbon footprint.
This year marked the 75th anniversary of the decision to establish ISO, at a meeting held at One Great George Street, just around the corner from this year’s broadcasting venue. However, we took the opportunity to look forward, not back, with the theme The Future Has Begun. With a keynote speech from Cat Tully, the founder of The School of International Futures, delegates focused on how we can be prepared for the coming years, what the key drivers of change might be, how standards can support innovation, how we can improve our diversity and inclusion, and how standardisation will be a key tool in the fight against climate change. We built a bespoke virtual event platform which featured a Discovery Zone where people could learn more about the Future of the Planet, the Future of Society and the Future of Work and where they could also post their visions for the future. You can watch the following sessions:
An important legacy of ISO Week was the signing of the London Declaration. Proposed and championed by BSI, the London Declaration is ISO’s commitment to ensure global standards will support climate action and advance international initiatives to achieve our global climate goals. Through the London Declaration, ISO promises to consider key climate science in every new standard that is created. It will also retrospectively consider these requirements for all existing standards as they are revised, a change on an unparalleled scale. In addition, the London Declaration stipulates that it will facilitate the involvement of civil society and those who are most vulnerable to the effects of climate change in the development of all international standards and publications. The London Declaration has been endorsed by IEC, CEN and CENELEC, plus other organizations such as the UNFCCC.
The next step is for BSI, working with other ISO and IEC members, to develop an action plan to deliver the objectives of the London Declaration for approval by the ISO governance bodies. BSI will reach out to a group of committee members to raise awareness, discuss ideas and take this forward. Find out more on our website and watch Dr Scott Steedman talk about the importance of this commitment on BSI’s YouTube channel.
