World Standards Day 2021

IEEE Standards that Transform Our Lives and Work

Join IEEE SA in Raising the World's Standards

Every year on 14 October, IEEE Standards Association (IEEE SA) joins the international community in celebrating the importance of standards development and honoring the collaboration of individuals and organizations across the globe who drive technological innovation. First held in 1970, World Standards Day is commemorated in a variety of forms and themes to raise global awareness among industry, regulators, and consumers as to the value of standardization.

Whether you are looking to make your mark as an individual or on behalf of your organization, IEEE SA offers many different opportunities to make a meaningful impact on industry and society.

Why are IEEE Standards Important to Us?

Imagine a world where you could not access the Internet, Wi-Fi, or Bluetooth, where you could not track your health on your favorite app, or where you could not find the right product with trusted quality or functions. In this world without IEEE Standards, we would not be able to enjoy the benefits of technological innovations or even live or work in a way we are used to.

Today, there are nearly 1,200 published IEEE Standards that aim to make our lives easier, safer, and more sustainable. Through the open platform at IEEE SA, volunteers from around the world collaborate to explore market needs, share industry knowledge and expertise, and develop standards that benefit humanity. These standards touch every piece of technology you own, providing the connectivity, interoperability, and security that we live and breathe every day.

Staying Connected and Secure

Virtually all wired and wireless devices we use every day rely on an extensive collection of IEEE network standards for connectivity, which is critical to education, industry, entertainment, and healthy living.

For example, the IEEE 802® Standards Family creates a framework that enables Ethernet, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and many other technologies. The IEEE 11073™ Standards Family connects medical devices and wearables to PCs, tablets, mobile phones, and other equipment, helping healthcare providers and patients to achieve better health outcomes. Other standards, such as IEEE P2933™, aim to safeguard our data security, privacy, identity, and trust in the era of IoT.

Becoming Smart and Resilient

Behind your smart home system, which includes the network, sensors, control, and security, is a web of IEEE Standards that provides an architectural framework and technical protocols, such as IEEE P2785™. On a larger scale, IEEE Standards help city planners integrate physical, digital, and human systems to provide citizens with smarter transportation, public safety, utilities, healthcare, education, and social services, making smart cities a reality.

As COVID-19 stressed the urgency of pandemic preparedness and mitigation, standards such as IEEE P2677™ Standards Family will help improve the efficiency, transparency, and privacy of pandemic response and recovery and build more resilient communities.

Going Green and Sustainable

With large-scale industrial activities, rapid population growth, urbanization, and inequality all impacting our lives and the well-being of future generations, the concept of sustainable development is more important than ever. From powering electric vehicles (EVs) to improving energy efficiency, and enabling integration of distributed energy resources (DERs) into smart grids to reducing environmental impact, IEEE Standards help advance technology to achieve a greener future.

Beyond environmental sustainability, standards such as the IEEE 7000™ Series promote safe, responsible, and trusted use of technology such as artificial intelligence (AI) to benefit humanity and society.

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