Standards: indisputable added value for civil society organisations
Standards provide a framework for proper agreements. From the A4 format for paper and 4G network rules to agreements on safety and quality: standards are an integral part of our daily lives and also have major impacts on the way we work. Have you ever thought about the impact of standards on your SME, and did you know that you can contribute to the development of standards yourself?
What is a standard?
42,000 that's how many standards are currently available at the NBN |
5 reasons to use standards
Standards are available in all forms and around the most diverse topics. These are five of the main reasons why organisations implement them:
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Cost savings – thanks to greater efficiency and better business processes;
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Export opportunities – products or services are more easily accepted in other countries;
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Innovation – sharing knowledge and new techniques becomes easier;
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Customer satisfaction - by increasing the quality of products or services;
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Sustainability – standards help create environmentally friendly, safe and sustainable products or processes.
Put your topics on the agenda
An increasing number of civil society organisations - such as consumer organisations, environmental organisations and trade unions - understand the importance of standards. What's more, they actively participate in the development of standards. In this way, they also put the social issues and interests that they strive for on the agenda.
In Belgium, the practical development of standards is carried out by the NBN, the Bureau for Standardisation. It does this through standards committees: the NBN brings together experts so that they can develop standards relating to their areas of specialisation.
So why should you participate? As an expert in a standards committee, you can
- Influence – you make sure that standards consider the social issues that are close to your heart, such as environmental protection, sustainability, consumer safety, workplace safety, etc.
- Learn – you will be the first to know about future developments and trends;
- Network – you can continuously exchange views with other experts from industry, government and academia.
2,636 that's how many Belgian experts are currently helping the NBN develop standards |
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