International Standards against climate change

ISO rewards winner of climate change essay contest for young standardizers

Mr. Wilfred Fanokuhle Mdluli, a quality assurance officer with the Swaziland Standards Authority (SWASA) was presented yesterday with an award donated by DIN, German Institute for Standardization, at ISO's 33rd General Assembly in Oslo, Norway.

ISO Vice President, Mr. Jacob Holmblad, presented the award to Mr. Mdluli for the best essay submitted in the ISO Contest for Young Standardizers in developing countries on the theme, “Can International Standards help fight climate change?”.

Mr. Mdluli wrote that International Standards present an opportunity to be one of the global solutions to tackling climate change as they contain the coordinated expertise of the international community and can ensure that pragmatic measures are taken to actively respond. In his essay, he also shared information on how his country is gearing up to use International Standards to meet the challenges of climate change.

Prizes were also awarded to two young standardizers for second and third place: Ms. Xolile Maphanga, also of SWASA, and Ms. Francisca Frimpong, of the Ghana Standards Board (GSB) respectively.

The purpose of the contest is to mobilize the enthusiasm of young standardizers in developing countries and to raise awareness of the importance of standards in promoting safe and sustainable development.
Prizes reward the three best essays written on an important and pertinent subject for international standardization. The contest is open to permanent employees working in a national standardization organization which is a member of ISO, as well as experts engaged in ISO’s technical work.