Teresa Corbin is a co-founder and now CEO of ACCAN, Australia’s peak body for communications consumers. She has many years of experience working in telecommunications policy both in Australia and internationally. Teresa is a director on the Board of the International Telecommunications Users Group (INTUG). In Australia she currently sits on several bodies including the ACMA Consumer Consultative Forum and she chairs Standards Australia’s Consumer Policy Committee. In 2015, she was awarded the Charles Todd Medal by the Telecommunications Society for having made an outstanding contribution in recent years. Teresa holds a Bachelor of Arts with a major in Linguistics from La Trobe University and is a Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
 
Standards Australia (SA): How did you become interested in standards development?

Teresa Corbin (TC): I was involved in the early days of organic food sales and the need to define and promote these products using standards. Now I am interested in the adoption of new technologies and the vital role that standards play.

SA: Why are consumer standards important?

TC: Consumer standards play an important role in helping the general public to trust that the products and services that they use day-to-day are fit for purpose. If people don’t trust an organisation and the safety of a product or service, they’re simply not going to use it.

SA: Do you think the broader community understand the role of standards?

TC: Generally, members of the public don’t have a comprehensive understanding of the role of standards. On the contrary, for the average consumer, the main concern is that the product or service works as promised and that it’s safe, but that doesn’t mean that they think that standards are important.

It’s commonly assumed that if a product or service is available for sale within Australia, then it meets the necessary standards and won’t cause harm. This speaks to the level of implicit trust that consumers have within our standards, even if they don’t know the details and specifications that a product or service had to meet to be fit for sale.

Consumer involvement in the standards-making process helps to increase awareness amongst the general community.

Some consumers are aware of standards and the role they play. We’re pleased that Standards Australia have committed to funding and providing free access to standards for personal, domestic or household use at no cost to end users in the future.

SA: What is the future of standardisation?

TC: As a consumer organisation, we see standards becoming more open for non-commercial users. This means more engagement with consumers throughout the standard development process so that the people who will ultimately be impacted by the product or service have the chance to have their voice heard in the establishment of appropriate standards.

With technology continuing to lead to convergence across industries, particularly in the telecommunications space, we’re likely to see greater collaboration between industries whose products and services become interconnected.

PEFC approves revised standards

Three standards that further strengthen PEFC’s sustainability benchmarks and assist in safeguarding forests globally came into force in February.

Most notable are changes to the chain of custody standard, specifically the expansion of the definition of controversial sources.

Chain of custody establishes the link from the forest to the market, tracking forest-based material from sustainable sources to the final product.

The standard lays out the requirements that a company must meet to achieve PEFC chain of custody certification. This includes requirements to avoid “controversial sources” - material not to be used in certified products.

Independent audit for Responsible Wood

The Standards Development and Accreditation Committee (SDAC) has appointed an independent auditor to oversee Responsible Wood’s ‘check compliance’ to Standard Development Organisation (SDO) requirements.

According to Alan Snow, certification coordinator, the surveillance audit provides Responsible Wood with an opportunity to demonstrate to Standards Australia an ongoing commitment to standards development.

“With the endorsement of Standards Australia, consumers could take heart that products that carry the Responsible Wood logo were not only better for the forests but also better for all consumers,” CEO Simon Dorries said.

Standards Australia is the owner of the standards and trademarks and is one of five accredited SDOs licensed to develop Australian standards for forest certification through ongoing SDAC accreditation.

Revision of standard for forest management 

Responsible Wood has announced the revision of the Australian standard for sustainable forest management AS 4708.

Responsible Wood is an accredited Standard Development Organisation.

AS 4708 specifies the environmental, economic, social and cultural requirements that must be met to demonstrate good practice and continued improvement towards sustainable forest management.

Responsible Wood reviews the standard every five years and undertaken in conjunction with Standards New Zealand to develop a joint Australian-NZ standard for forest management in both countries.