On World Standards Day, UNE is emphasising the value of technical standards as a driver of trust, innovation, and shared progress. Standardisation, present in all areas of our lives, boosts competitiveness between businesses, the quality of products and services, and the safety and wellbeing in our society.
Standardisation is present in all areas of our lives: from the safety of the products we use every day to the interoperability of digital systems and the efficiency of industrial processes. It is thanks to standards that businesses improve their competitiveness, consumers gain confidence, and public administrations can ensure safer and more sustainable environments.
The Report "The Economic Impact of Standardisation in Spain", prepared by the Centre for Industrial Strategy and Foresight (CEPI), an entity promoted by the Ministry of Industry and Tourism and the EOI Foundation, provides some numbers for this: Standards contribute 14.7% to Spain's average annual GDP growth, which translates into a contribution of more than €140 billion over the last four decades.
The study, conducted using ISO's international methodology, also reveals that 72.2% of companies acknowledge that standards have improved their productivity, and 71.9% report an increase in revenue as a result of standards. Among exporters, 90% report having improved the quality and reliability of their products, and 58.4% say these standards have a significant or very significant impact on their international sales.
Accelerating the publication of new standards by 5% annually could provide an additional boost of more than €23 billion to Spanish GDP by 2028, reinforcing the importance of continuing to promote standardisation across all productive sectors as a lever for competitiveness, sustainability, and progress.
For more than 40 years, the Spanish Association for Standardization (UNE) has represented Spain's voice in European and international standardisation bodies. Through the consensus and cooperation of thousands of experts, UNE contributes to ensuring that standards respond to major global challenges: the green and digital transition, safety, quality and innovation.
According to Javier García, CEO of UNE and vice president of ISO, “Standardisation is a strategic asset that boosts confidence, sustainability, and competitiveness. Standards help businesses innovate, expand their reach, and build a more prosperous future for all."
To commemorate World Standards Day, UNE has launched an institutional video showing how standardisation is present in everything around us and how it contributes to the wellbeing and development of our society.
