Ben Hedley

International standards supporting businesses: Occupational health & safety management systems (ISO 45001) International standards play an important role in supporting business, trade, development, policy objectives, health & safety, and consumers. This CSN brochure describes how occupartional health & safety management systems (specifically, ISO 45001) support SMEs - regardless of their size or location. CSN_SME brochure - Occupational health and safety management systems (ISO 45001).pdf CSN_SME brochure - Occupational health and safety management systems (ISO 45001).pdf

This free CSN brochure describes how the use of food safety management systems (specifically, ISO 2200) supports businesses, regardless of their size or location.

International standards supporting businesses: Food safety management systems (ISO 22000) International standards play an important role in supporting business, trade, development, policy objectives, and consumers. This CSN brochure describes how food safety management systems (specifically, ISO 22000) support SMEs in the food industry - regardless of their size or location. CSN_SME Brochure - Food safety management systems (ISO 22000).pdf CSN_SME Brochure - Food safety management systems (ISO 22000).pdf

Happy Commonwealth Day! The 2023 theme is ‘Forging a sustainable and peaceful common future’, this is something that the standards and wider quality infrastructure can play a key role in achieving through standards such as ISO 3700 (Governance of organizations) and ISO 14001 (Environmental Management Systems). The CSN will continue to strive to achieve positive developmental outcomes throughout the Commonwealth through collaboration and sharing of good practice. https://thecommonwealth.org/commonwealth-day

The CSN has funding to offer a limited number of Comonwealth NSB delegates free access to the BSI ‘Road to Net Zero. Terminology and Principles’ eLearning course (the course is usually £325 but CSN is covering that cost). Please contact Ben Hedley ben.hedley@bsigroup.com if you are an employee of an NSB in the Commonwealth and would like to receive free access to the course. Course details: Title: Road to Net Zero. Terminology and Principles. Purpose: The course introduces ‘Road to Net Zero’ to non-sustainability professionals and helps develop understanding around the language, principles, and roadmap to Net Zero, including the key decisions around independent 3rd party verification or validation to PAS 2060 or a similar standard. Format: eLearning (delegates are given a registration link that provides on-demand access). Delegates will be sent a copy of PAS 2060:2014 for use with the course. Resources: Interactive activities and handouts. Certification: Globally recognised BSI certificate. Audience: Professionals looking to speak about the steps to achieve carbon neutrality with confidence. Suited to: · Those wanting to learn about the key concepts and principles of carbon neutrality. · Those considering net zero related certification. By the end of this training course, delegates will be able to: Gain the confidence to talk about the road to net zero with your colleagues and external stakeholders Develop foundational knowledge you can build on. Receive an internationally recognized BSI training academy certificate of attendance.

"Delegates from the Americas and other parts of the world are expected to gather in Barbados to attend the Pan American Standards Commission (COPANT) General Assembly, from April 23 to 26, 2023. The high-level meeting, which will be held at the Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Centre, Two Mile Hill, St. Michael, will be attended by Secretary General of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), Sergio Mujica, and President of COPANT, Mauricio Céspedes. Key presentations will be delivered by notable experts from ISO, and the British Standards Institution, Brazil, Costa Rica, United States of America, and the Caribbean. Critical issues surrounding innovation, digital transformation, sustainable development, climate change and global solutions to mitigate against associated events will be among the topics to be discussed." https://gisbarbados.gov.bb/blog/copant-general-assembly-to-be-held-in-barbados-this-year/

ARSO 2nd Regional Quality Conference (21st to 24th March 2023). Info from https://www.arso-oran.org/?page_id=64 The African Organisation for Standardisation (ARSO) invites you to the 2nd Regional Quality Conference from 21st to 24th March 2023 in Kigali, Rwanda Under the Theme – Managing quality in a dynamic work environment for Competitive Advantage Key Note Speakers: 1. Dr Dr. Gregory H. Watson, an Honorary Member and Past President of both the American Society for Quality UTEP (ASQ) and the International Academy for Quality 2. Dr Hermogene Nsengimana, Secretary General – ARSO Target Audience: Chief Executives, Management Representatives, Auditors, Champions, Process owners and Managers of Management systems Topics to be covered include: 1. Excellence models applicable in the African context 2. Managing for quality in a dynamically changing world 3. Standardization – building trust for regional trade facilitation 4. Driving excellence in quality through Leadership 5. Data analytics – the game changer in decision making 6. Innovation and process re-engineering for quality improvement – Standard Register Here – bit.ly/404iqTw

BSI: The role of standards in supporting the transition to a digital economy, and facilitating digital trade. Executive Summary of BSI Whitepaper: https://www.bsigroup.com/globalassets/localfiles/en-gb/international-projects/digital-economy-whitepaper/bsi-transition-to-a-digital-economy-flyer.pdf

"Information on the border rejections in major global markets, for different products from different exporting countries, in order to help exporting countries to focus and navigate their efforts in improving compliance capacity of their industries and thereby reduce the negative impacts arising from border rejection. https://hub.unido.org/rejection-data/trade-rejection-analysis

WTO ePing: Track and manage information on product requirements. Information from WTO "The platform facilitates tracking sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) and technical barriers to trade (TBT) measures." https://epingalert.org/

Information from ITC: "We provide free, accessible, comprehensive, verified and transparent information on over 300 standards for environmental protection, worker and labour rights, economic development, quality and food safety, as well as business ethics. ....Our free tools help you to find trusted and neutral information about voluntary sustainability standards (VSS), codes of conduct, audit protocols, reporting frameworks and company programs on sustainability." https://www.standardsmap.org/en/home

Information from CEN: https://www.cencenelec.eu/news-and-events/news/2022/eninthespotlight/2022-11-22-cen-published-a-new-technical-specification-on-community-face-coverings/ "The Covid-19 pandemic made the need for shared rules on community face coverings particularly urgent. In response, CEN, the European Committee for Standardization, developed in record time an initial deliverable that could provide the necessary guidelines: CEN Workshop Agreement 17553:2020 ‘Community face coverings - Guide to minimum requirements, methods of testing and use’. Although a Workshop Agreement (also known as CWA) does not count as an official standard, as it involves no obligation at the national level, thanks to its simplified format it can be produced and disseminated very quickly, and therefore it can help fill urgent needs. Based on this work, at the end of 2020, CEN/TC 248 ‘Textiles and Textile products’ started work on the transformation of the CWA into a more formal, higher consensus deliverable, a European Technical Specification (TS). This work was finally completed in 2022, with the publication, on 2 November, of CEN/TS 17553:2022 ‘Textiles and textile products - Community face coverings - Minimum requirements, methods of testing and use’."

Message from The International Federation of Standards Users (IFAN) IFAN serves as the Voice of Standards Users Worldwide. We are initiating an annual survey series to gather data on the needs and requirements of standards users globally. We would greatly appreciate your assistance in getting this survey distributed to as wide a selection of standards users as can be found. The survey will help us provide standards developers with user feedback on such topics as pricing, available formats and products, and new concepts in developing and distributing standards and standards information We will share the results of our survey with our partners from the international standards organizations such as ISO, IEC and CEN/CENELEC. Please forward the attached sample email to standards users affiliated with your organization. https://forms.office.com/r/6APE180nrS All answers are anonymous. The data will be aggregated into a report once the survey period closes on January 15, 2023. Should you participate, a copy of that report will be made available to you upon request. More information on the survey and on IFAN is available in our newsletters and on our website, IFAN.org. And of course, you can always reach out to us by email for further clarification. With our best wishes for the Summer/winter season and for the upcoming holidays.

'Preparations underway for launch of first IEC Global Impact Fund project' The IEC Global Impact Fund has announced that its first project will focus on promoting sustainable battery e-waste management in Africa. It has now issued the first formal documents as part of the project entitled Catalysing innovation for circular models in Africa - turning battery e-waste into e-resources. “We are really excited to be able to move forward with the first project of the IEC Global Impact Fund”, stated IEC President Yinbiao Shu. “With this project, we will bring the benefits of IEC International Standards and the IEC Conformity Assessment Systems to help solve the challenge of e-waste and its harmful impact on human health and the environment.” The first project will support an SME-led project in Africa. Interested parties are invited to respond to the Call for Expressions of Interest (CEI) (23rd December 2022 deadline). Feedback to the CEI will be incorporated into the Request for Proposals (RfP) which is expected to be issued in early 2023. Further information is available from the Project Concept document. https://www.iec.ch/blog/preparations-underway-launch-first-iec-global-impact-fund-project

CSN Annual Meeting 2022 presentations and meeting report attached. CSN 2022 Meeting Report_2022-09-20.pdf CSN Annual Meeting_20-09-2022.pdf Link to CSN Annual Meeting 2022 recording:https://us06web.zoom.us/rec/share/KCEef7lmNxfUAqaxic983DJZ19J4qib3_kKfzu7JuSheUNi2pvyr5XTr73S5Bbc7.WVb6TcUzi9D2tzlk Passcode: CSN_Annual Meeting_2022

Invitation from UK Government Department For Internatiojnal Trade: Commonwealth Market Awareness Webinars - Register Now! The Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games have now come to a close. However, The Department for International Trade aims to build on the collaboration and spirit shown throughout the games with our second round of Market Awareness Webinars. These sessions are designed to highlight the business and exporting opportunities across a range of Commonwealth Markets and begin to support businesses in building relationships with support organisations and prospective future clients overseas. Each session will include: Market opportunities panel discussion Overview of specific sectors of interest within the market Potential barriers to export Insight into projects taking place in market that UK businesses can engage with Logistics & access to market Inspiring trade success story with a UK business Q&A Australia – 7th September 9am-10am The Commonwealth Opportunity with the Commonwealth Secretariat - 13th September 9am-10am Nigeria - 13th September 10am-11am Malaysia – 14th September 9am-10am Singapore – 21st September 9am-10am (Times are BST) More Info/Registration: https://www.events.great.gov.uk/ehome/index.php?eventid=200248832&

Subject: Invitation and draft agenda for Commonwealth Standards Network annual meeting Dear Commonwealth Standards Network stakeholder, I write to invite you to attend the Commonwealth Standards Network (CSN) annual meeting that will take place Tuesday 20th September, 12.00-13.00 in Abu Dhabi as a side-event of the ISO Annual Meetings. The meeting will be an opportunity to discuss CSN activities and to identify opportunities for forthcoming collaborative work and Technical Assistance programmes. Date/Time: Tuesday 20th September; 12.00-13.00 (Abu Dhabi time GST) Location: Executive Multi-Purpose Room, Floor 2, ADNOC Business Center*, Abu Dhabi. (*The same building as the ISO Annual meetings). Also available online: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/88011172881?pwd=RzVWRm83eENkTE1mbDV0NExoZUxaZz09 Meeting ID: 880 1117 2881 Passcode: CSN2022 Attendees: Representatives of National Standards Bodies in Commonwealth countries and other interested parties such as regional standards organisations. Draft Agenda: Welcome and Introduction CSN Governance Overview of CSN programme and Resources Overview of new Standards Partnership and collaboration with CSN Digital Toolkit Workshop discussion: NSB needs assessments and next steps for CSN (Delegates are requested to provide suggestions/talking points). Closing summary For more information please contact the CSN Senior Programme Manager Ben Hedley: ben.hedley@bsigroup.com CSN Abu Dhabi meeting invite and agenda_12.00-13.00_Tuesday 20-09-2022.pdf

The Standards Show | Carbon emissions, trade and standards The latest episode of #TheStandardsShow is a conversation with the WTO about their report ‘What Yardstick for Net Zero?’ Cindy speaks to the two of the authors about how WTO principles on regulation, international standards and conformity assessment can support climate change and net zero polices by building trust. Have a listen.

Aid for Trade Global Review to focus on environment, empowerment and connectivity "This year’s Aid for Trade Global Review — to take place from 27 to 29 July — will feature over 50 sessions held in-person at the WTO’s headquarters in Geneva or online. Under the theme “Empowering Connected, Sustainable Trade”, the Review will examine the opportunities that digital connectivity provides for economic and export diversification in developing and least-developed countries. It will also explore how the WTO-led Aid for Trade initiative can help empower various economic actors, such as women, to realize these opportunities." Sessions can be viewed online. More info: ttps://www.wto.org/english/tratop_e/devel_e/a4t_e/gr22_e/gr22_e.htm

The CSN will be represented at the ARSO GA in Cameroon and will hold a session on Thursday 30th June 5-6pm to discuss recommendations from the programme to-date, resources available, potential for new work, and governance of the Network. Please contact ben.hedley@bsigroup.com for more information.

Information for NSBs: ISO DEVCO Chair call for nominations: Deadline 24/05/2022 (see attached for nimination details). ISO DEVCO Co-Chair: Deadline 06/08/2022 (see attached for nomination details). DEVCO Chair 2022-2024_call for nominations.pdf DEVCO Vice Chair 2023-2024_call for nominations.pdf