Standards Boost Business Campaign Targets Fortune 500 Executives

NEW YORK, Aug. 6, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Standards and conformity assessment play a critical role in removing barriers to trade, enforcing free trade agreements, and expanding foreign markets for U.S. goods and services. They impact more than 80% of global commodity trade – in 2012, an estimated 14 trillion dollars.

But many American companies and manufacturers are missing the boat. Corporate leaders are uninformed or misinformed about the value of standards and conformance as strategic business tools. Few of those who don't work directly in standardization are found to really have an understanding of its impact and potential power.

To help get this message in front of corporate America, a call-to-action brochure was recently mailed to the top 3,500 Fortune 500 executives and other industry and government leaders. The brochure is part of the Standards Boost Business public awareness campaign, established in 2010 by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and a group of partnering organizations from the standardization community.

"At a time when the public and private sectors are looking to foster economic growth and create good jobs for the future, it is more important than ever that U.S. companies understand the power of standards and conformance," said S. Joe Bhatia, ANSI president and CEO.

Standards Boost Business is intended to inform and educate C-suite executives and senior public policy officials about the ways that standards and conformity assessment activities boost business performance and innovation, lower costs, and help U.S. industry to be more competitive in the global marketplace.

The brochure calls on corporate America to devote resources – time, money, and manpower – to standardization activities, and is available electronically at www.standardsboostbusiness.org. The website also offers a rich and comprehensive set of free resources and tools including real-world case studies, testimonials, graphics, and videos about how standardization has helped business leaders to reduce costs, streamline operations, expand markets, and boost their bottom line.

"We need effective tools to turn our nation's limitless ingenuity into the innovation and business strength that will drive U.S. competitiveness for the 21st Century. Strategic standardization is one of those tools," said Mr. Bhatia.

Standards Boost Business campaign partners include:

• American National Standards Institute (ANSI)
• 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)
• Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers (AHAM)
• ASTM International
• The Boeing Company
• Consumer Electronics Association (CEA)
• CSA Group
• IEEE Standards Association
• IHS Inc.
• InfoComm International
• International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials (IAPMO)
• International Code Council (ICC)
• Kavi Corporation
• 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)

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 31 members of the 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.

SOURCE Standards Boost Business