Looking ahead to the NBN Thank You Event 2025

Standards play a fundamental role in our daily lives. From screws and medical devices to children's toys and the Wi-Fi networks that connect us, they are everywhere. They are the ultimate proof of how, by working together toward a shared goal, we can contribute to a better and safer world for all. At NBN, we don't take this for granted.

Our way of saying 'thank you'

‍Theentire standards system is built on collaboration. From the moment the need for a standard is identified, to the various rounds of drafts and feedback, to its publication and final use: it is a truly collective effort. It requires the input of experts on standards committees, the coordination of sectoral operators and standards bodies, and the trust of the companies and organizations that use standards to offer the best possible products and services.

Our annual Thank You Event, now in its 9th edition, is our way of thanking everyone who contributes to the creation of standards. It is an annual celebration of our vibrant standards community and an opportunity to reconnect, reflect on our shared successes and look forward to future collaborations.

This year's event will take place on Thursday, Nov. 27, at yet another iconic Brussels venue: the Mix Brussels in Watermael-Boitsfort.

As always, the presentation of our awards will be the highlight of the evening, recognizing those who have made extraordinary contributions to the development and prominence of standards.

2025 NBN Awards - call for experts.

Standards would not be possible without the tireless work of experts - from every industry imaginable - who generously contribute their time and knowledge to serve on standards committees. Our awards aim to highlight these invaluable and often underappreciated efforts and reward outstanding contributions in four key categories:

- Young experts (≤ 35 years old)

- SMEs (≤ 50 employees)

- Large enterprises (> 50 employees)

- Nonprofit organizations, academic institutions or government agencies

In selecting laureates for the NBN awards, we look at the following criteria:

--> Active involvement in standardisation activities: participation at national level (20%) in positions such as chairman, secretary, active or passive member, as well as at European or international level (30%) in positions such as chairman, secretary or Belgian expert.

-->Promotion and awareness of standardisation: giving presentations and publishing works that promote general awareness about standardization or that address the technical content of standards (50%).

We know from experience that much of the work done by experts takes place "behind the scenes" and is often not fully understood by their colleagues.

Therefore, we invite experts to nominate themselves.
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