The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) was very pleased to host Sergio Mujica, Secretary-General of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), at ANSI's headquarters in Washington, DC, on December 10, 2019. The meeting, which marked Mr. Mujica's fifth visit to ANSI since he became Secretary-General in 2017, highlighted a number of strategic issues of importance to both ANSI and ISO.
The meeting included several sessions with senior U.S. government executives and members of ANSI's Board, who provided Mr. Mujica with practical examples of the value of federal engagement in the private sector-led standardization system in the United States. ANSI hosted a session with Gordon Gillerman, director of the standards coordination office at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and chair of the Interagency Committee on Standards Policy, and Tim Klein, senior policy advisor and department standards executive of the U.S. Department of Transportation. Mr. Gillerman and Mr. Klein shared their perspectives on several ISO initiatives, and gained insight into ISO collaborations with the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) and the International Telecommunication Union (ITU).
ANSI also hosted Alexandra Dunn, assistant administrator for chemical safety and pollution prevention at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Ms. Dunn shared her perspective on the importance that EPA places on engagement in the development of voluntary consensus standards, both national and international, in support of its mission.
The final session of the day featured a discussion between Bob Adler, Commissioner and Acting Chair of the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, and Mr. Mujica on the importance of consumer participation in the development of standards and ISO standards in the consumer products field.
"On behalf of ANSI and its members, we are pleased to further our ongoing strategic discussions with the Secretary-General," said S. Joe Bhatia, ANSI president and CEO. "Among ANSI's top priorities is to strengthen U.S. leadership and engagement in international standardization, and to expand influence globally on behalf of our members. We look forward to a continued close working relationship in the new year and beyond."
ISO announced the appointment of Mr. Mujica of Chile in 2017. He joined ISO from the World Customs Organization (WCO), where served as Deputy Secretary-General since 2010. ANSI is the U.S. member body to ISO.