Newly ISO President’s Vision

Newly ISO President’s Vision: Enhancing Global Impact Through Innovation and Collaboration

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Dr. Sung Hwan Cho, who hails from Korea, assumed the role of ISO President in January 2024 for a two-year tenure. In his inaugural address, he outlines his vision for ISO’s pivotal role in addressing global challenges and fostering collaboration.

 

Five Key Pillars

 

Dr. Cho wishes to focus on many issues including five key pillars, namely (1) ISO Governance, (2) Commitment to climate-aligned international standards, (3) Addressing the dangers of misuse of artificial intelligence (AI) to bring positive societal change, (4) More participation and empowering of developing countries through ISO’s action plan, and (5) Building stronger bridges among ISO, business and consumers.

 

Building Trust and Collaboration Through Standards

 

Dr. Cho emphasizes, “Standards have a pivotal role to play in steering the world towards a better future. The power of standards is clear and far-reaching. And yet, for many businesses and organizations, standards are invisible; they exist much like the air around us – unseen but essential.”

 

Empowering Response to Global Challenges

 

Dr. Cho identifies key global challenges, including climate change and emerging technologies like Artificial intelligence (AI), and highlights ISO's commitment to addressing these challenges through robust governance and climate-aligned standards development.

 

ISO is committed to addressing climate change and emerging technologies like artificial intelligence (AI) through robust governance and standards development.

 

Ensuring Equitable Participation

 

Recognizing the importance of inclusivity, Dr Cho champions ISO's Action Plan for developing countries, aiming to empower their effective participation in standardization processes through capacity building and collaboration.

 

Strengthening Connections with Stakeholders

 

Dr. Cho underscores the importance of building stronger bridges between ISO, businesses, consumers, and other stakeholders worldwide. He outlines plans to enhance communication efforts and expand ISO's global presence.

 

Fostering Strategic Partnerships

 

Dr. Cho emphasizes the significance of strategic partnerships with international organizations, policymakers, and standards bodies to foster harmonization and alignment across the standards ecosystem.

 

Promoting Standards Education

 

Dr. Cho advocates for the establishment of a comprehensive standards education system to raise awareness and understanding of ISO standards among people of all ages and backgrounds.

 

Digital Transformation for Greater Agility

 

Highlighting the importance of digital transformation for greater agility, Dr. Cho discusses initiatives like SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time-bound) projects. These projects, such as the collaboration with the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), are aimed at revolutionizing standards interaction for greater adaptability and inclusivity. The SMART approach ensures that initiatives are well-defined, achievable, and aligned with organizational goals, fostering innovation and efficiency within ISO’s operations.

 

Conclusion

 

Dr. Sung Hwan Cho concludes his message with a commitment to partnering, protecting, and innovating to further the progress of ISO. He reaffirms ISO's dedication to positive change, contributing to a better, more equitable, and sustainable world. I wish him a successful tenure as ISO President.

ISO President's message can be read at ISO website. 

Best wishes,

Keshav Ram Singhal