The Guyana National Bureau of Standards (GNBS) designated October 12 to 16, 2020 as National Quality Week, and as usual, rolled out daily activities to observe the occasion. This year, the public was engaged primarily via social media due to the prevailing pandemic.
World Standards Day, which is commemorated annually on October 14, is part of the week’s celebrations and the theme chosen for the 2020 observances by the International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO), International Electro-technical Commission (IEC) and the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) is “Protecting the planet with standards”.
The following is a combined message by the ISO, IEC and ITU: Each year on 14 October, the members of IEC, ISO and ITU celebrate World Standards Day, which is a means of paying tribute to the collaborative efforts of the thousands of experts worldwide who develop the voluntary technical agreements that are published as International Standards.
Earth is a finite vessel of life in the vastness of our solar system. Life on earth depends on energy coming from the sun. However, over the last century human and large-scale industrial activities of our modern civilization have added to earth’s natural greenhouse gases. They negatively impact our climate and with it all forms of life. At the same time, rapid population growth and broad urbanization call for the responsible use of limited resources.
To reduce human impact on our planet, we need the political will, concrete action and the right tools. International standards are one such tool. The international standards prepared by IEC, ISO and ITU take into account tried and true solutions to technical challenges. They help share expertise and expert know-how broadly within developed and developing countries alike. Standards cover all aspects of energy savings, water and air quality. They lay down standardized protocols and methods of measurement. Their broad use helps reduce the environmental impact of industrial production and processes, facilitates the reuse of limited resources and improves energy efficiency.
Activities conducted for National Quality Week, 2020 included a live Facebook webinar, an online launch of Careers in Standards, television interviews and messages from the Hon. Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce and the Deputy Executive Director of the GNBS. The week concluded with highlights of standards, which help to ensure environmental sustainability and the hosting of the GNBS Long Serving Award Ceremony for staff members.
For further information on activities held during National Quality Week, please visit the GNBS website: www.gnbsgy.org or follow us on Facebook or Instagram.
