Standards Boost Business Campaign Gives U.S. Companies Competitive Edge

NEW YORK, July 28, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- More than 80 percent of global commodity trade is impacted by standards and conformance – that translates to more than 13 trillion business dollars each year. Numbers like these clearly demonstrate the powerful advantage that companies gain in the global market by exerting their influence and actively participating in standardization.

To raise awareness of the strategic and economic value of standards to U.S. business, the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and twenty-five partners across the standardization community have launched Standards Boost Business (SBB), an outreach initiative to help corporate America harness the power of standards and conformance to boost business performance and gain a foothold over the global competition.

"Those who understand how to effectively influence and address standardization and compliance issues have the greatest success in the global marketplace," said S. Joe Bhatia, president and CEO of ANSI.

"An executive has a critical choice to make in today's economy: position your organization to take a seat at the table and be part of the standards-setting process, or to let your competitors dictate the way you will be doing business."

The Standards Boost Business campaign is a call to action for corporate America to invest resources in the standardization system, and gain its rewards. The campaign seeks to raise understanding among

C-suite executives and other corporate leaders of how the U.S. voluntary standards system drives business growth, spurs innovation, and advances U.S. competitiveness. Active participation in standards development enables a company to exert influence on technical content and align its products and services with changing market demand, provides early access to information on emerging issues, and helps reduce redundancy, minimize errors, and shorten time to market.

Through real-world case studies and other resources, the SBB website showcases how companies and organizations have streamlined processes, reduced costs, won market access, and boosted their bottom line by participating in standards development activities and implementing standards and conformance tools.

"Standards and conformance are critical business tools that should be managed alongside your organization's quality, safety, intellectual property, and environmental policies," continued Mr. Bhatia. "The SBB case studies give proof: when companies harness standardization, they increase their bottom line and gain that ever important competitive edge."

Sponsoring partners of the Standards Boost Business campaign include:

• American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers, Inc. (ASHRAE)
• American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME)
• ASIS International
• Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation (AAMI)
• ASTM International
• The Boeing Company
• Consumer Electronics Association (CEA)
• IEEE Standards Association
• International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials (IAPMO)
• International Code Council (ICC)
• National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA)
  • Connector Manufacturing Company
  • Eaton Electrical, Inc.
  • Emerson Industrial Automation
  • Hubbell Electrical Systems
• National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)
• NSF International
• SAE International
• Safety Equipment Institute (SEI)
• Schneider Electric
• SES – The Society for Standards Professionals
• Security Industry Association (SIA)
• Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA)
• Thomas & Betts Corporation
• U.S. Pharmacopeial Convention
• UL (Underwriters Laboratories)

For more information, visit www.standardsboostbusiness.org.

About Standards Boost Business

Standards Boost Business is an outreach initiative to help U.S. businesses understand the power of standardization in driving business growth, spurring innovation, and advancing U.S. competitiveness. Coordinated by the American National Standards Institute in partnership with members the U.S. standardization community, this free online resource is designed to help corporate leaders understand the strategic and economic value of standards to business and to our overall national competitiveness. To learn more, visit www.standardsboostbusiness.org.

About ANSI

The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) is a private non-profit organization whose mission is to enhance U.S. global competitiveness and the American quality of life by promoting, facilitating, and safeguarding the integrity of the voluntary standardization and conformity assessment system. Its membership is comprised of businesses, professional societies and trade associations, standards developers, government agencies, and consumer and labor organizations. The Institute represents the diverse interests of more than 125,000 companies and organizations and 3.5 million professionals worldwide.

The Institute is the official U.S. representative to the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and, via the U.S. National Committee, the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), and is a U.S. representative to the International Accreditation Forum (IAF).

SOURCE American National Standards Institute