Standards Services

Our purpose

Ai Group Standards Services primary purpose is to create the opportunity for our members to be involved in standards development to influence the crafting of Australian and ISO / IEC Standards that impact their businesses.

About standards development

Ai Group has produced a webinar outlining the benefits and reasons companies get involved in  standards development – click here or on the image below to view our BIZassistBriefings August 2012 sessions.

Capability

Ai Group plays a key role in the national and international standards development landscape. Ai Group is recognised as a leading contributor and supporter to the standards ecosystem through its formal involvement and collaboration with Standards Australia. Ai Group is represented within Standards Australia at a number of levels including the: Standards Development Committee, International Policy Advisory Committee and the Standards Council. In addition, Dr Peter Burn (Ai Group Public Policy Director) is a Standards Australia board member and Chair of its (the Board's) Strategy Committee. 

Through the Ai Group, around 700 industry representatives have been nominated to more than 350 technical committees in the Standards Australia (SA) portfolio. In addition to industry representation the technical committees also include representatives from Government, regulators, academia, unions, consumers and other stakeholders.

Click here to see a copy of Standards Services capability statement.

Here is how we can help you

Ai Group members decide to be involved in standards development to influence the crafting of Australian and International (ISO / IEC) Standards that affect their core business. Members who are involved in the standards development ecosystem within Ai Group are often exposed to key developments in their respective industries and gain important insight into the strategic direction and creation of new markets.

Ai Group provides the following services to all members:

Information

• Provision of information on standards that are relevant to member products, services and processes.
• Providing a conduit to all Standards Australia services and fora. Ai Group keeps abreast of developments at Standards Australia in terms of new areas of standards development, forums, seminars and the like. We provide this information to members through mediums such as the Ai Group weekly e-newsletter.
• Establishing a conduit to all Ai Group services / where issues justify.

Engagement and support

• Establishing opportunities for members to be involved in specific technical standards committees within the Standards Australia portfolio.
• Advice on developing proposals for submission to Standards Australia for new, revised or amended standards. Members, through Ai Group, have the right to propose new standards or modifications to existing standards directly to Standards Australia (Note that a Net Benefit case has to be established along with proof of stakeholder support).
• Raising sectoral issues to Standards Australia’s advisory fora, Council, IPAC, SDC and Board.
• Liaison with SA and issues management e.g. facilitating member consensus, negative ballot resolution.

Advocacy

• Submissions to Government on behalf of members on relevant standards policy and regulatory issues.
• Advocacy to Governments  on non-compliance issues reflecting member concerns. (Note: Ai Group can guide members on approaching regulators with specific non-compliance issues but is unable to represent members individual complaints.)
• Engagement with Government on trade related standards issues including general TBT issues.

Training and Seminars

• Development and delivery of training / seminars on standards that have relevance to member products, services and processes. These events can be designed for cross sector delivery or for a specific sector or organisation.(Training / seminars are often scheduled to be delivered after the publication of a standard.)

Fee-for-service

If members require more specific and detailed services then this can be arranged on a fee paying basis. In general the areas that Standards Services fee-for-service cover include:

• Tailored information on standards compliance
• Tailored information on regional and international standards including TBT issues
• Reporting on compliance to selected standards
• Conformity assessment schema
• Watch services on selected standards

Links to technical infrastructure organisations e.g. Standards Australia ISO,  IEC, NATA, JAS-ANZ

Standards Australia - Standards Australia is the nation's peak non-government Standards organisation. It is charged by the Commonwealth Government to meet Australia's need for contemporary, internationally aligned Standards and related services. The work of Standards Australia enhances the nation's economic efficiency, international competitiveness and contributes to community demand for a safe and sustainable environment. It leads and promotes a respected and unbiased Standards development process ensuring all competing interests are heard, their points of view considered and consensus reached.

ISO - ISO (International Organization for Standardization) is the world’s largest developer of voluntary International Standards. International Standards give state of the art specifications for products, services and good practice, helping to make industry more efficient and effective. Developed through global consensus, they help to break down barriers to international trade.

IEC - Founded in 1906, the IEC (International Electrotechnical Commission) is the world’s leading organization for the preparation and publication of International Standards for all electrical, electronic and related technologies. These are known collectively as “electrotechnology”.

JASANZ - JAS-ANZ is the government-appointed accreditation body for Australia and New Zealand responsible for providing accreditation of conformity assessment bodies (CABs) in the fields of certification and inspection. Accreditation by JAS-ANZ demonstrates the competence and independence of these CABs.

NATA- NATA is the authority that provides independent assurance of technical competence through a proven network of best practice industry experts for customers who require confidence in the delivery of their products and services. NATA provides assessment, accreditation and training services to laboratories and technical facilities throughout Australia and internationally.