CEO Report: Expanding Engagement

I had the opportunity to meet this year’s cohort at their kick-off in Sydney and I was impressed by the enthusiasm of all 20 NEXTgen participants.
 
Then on Wednesday, together with our Chairman Richard Brooks, we hosted a meeting of stakeholders in Adelaide. We discussed the work we are doing to make engaging with us better, everything from Incubator projects to our Technical Governance Review.
 
More importantly, we were able to hear directly from colleagues in South Australia about the importance of standards to their work, professional and personal lives.  
 
Thank you to everyone that attended in Adelaide, and please do not hesitate to reach out to us to continue the conversation.

—Dr Bronwyn Evans, CEO

Investing in the next generation

Last week Standards Australia launched the rebranded NEXTgen program and welcomed the next generation of technical experts and industry representatives.
 
The NEXTgen program’s ambition is to future proof the development of Australian Standards by creating a robust succession plan for committee contributors.
 
Learn more about the program on our website or watch this video.

Clear plan ahead for water efficiency

In Conversation with Dr Carol Grossman

Standards Australia: The international committee for water efficient products recently met in Sydney. What were the outcomes of the meeting?
Dr Carol Grossman: The committee agreed on the scope of an ISO standard on rating of water efficient products, and resolved to establish a working group to draft the standard over the next 18 months. We also agreed on a model that would let countries maintain their national product standards but provide consistency on how products are tested and rated for water efficiency. The standard, ISO 31600, Water Efficient Products – Rating, will include water efficiency ratings and key test requirements for water-using fittings and appliances such as showers, taps, toilets and washing machines. These products are currently included in Australia’s Water Efficiency Labelling and Standards (WELS) scheme.
 
SA: Tell us about WELS, Australia’s water labelling program, and how it has inspired this international work.
CG: Australia’s WELS scheme saves water by informing consumers about water efficiency at the point of sale. Consumers use this information to choose fittings and appliances that will save water and reduce their utility bills. Water savings from WELS are expected to reach over 200 billion litres per year by 2030 - enough to fill 80,000 Olympic swimming pools every year. And in our region, Singapore, China, Malaysia and New Zealand are also saving water through labelling programs similar to ours. An international standard for water efficiency labelling will increase consistency across labelling programs and make it easier for more countries to realise the water-saving benefits. It was great to have representatives from seven countries at the recent meeting, all committed to improving water efficiency in their own countries and globally.
 
SA: How can Standards Australia better collaborate with stakeholders?
CG: The recent collaboration between WELS and Standards Australia on an international standard is the latest step in a long partnership. We have been working effectively together for over a decade on the standard underpinning WELS and related product standards. In our experience, staff at Standards Australia have been knowledgeable and responsive to our ideas, and the work to obtain ISO approval and start developing the new standard has been a true collaborative effort. 
 
SA: What do you think is in the future of standardisation?
CG: I’d like to see greater public understanding of the value and benefits of standardisation. In Australia we have an expectation that products and systems will work as intended, but many people are unaware of the standards that underpin regulations. As standards move to address modern issues like blockchain and smart cities, their relevance may become more apparent to the general public. This will be made easier if the standards themselves can become more accessible, both in terms of costs and in the way they are presented.