The 2026 U.S. Celebration of World Standards Day (WSD) will convene standards leaders, congressional staff, federal decision-makers, and other stakeholders for a day of dialogue on the technology, energy, and security priorities shaping national policy. Registration is now open for attendees and for organizations interested in presenting at the new WSD Showcase.
New for 2026, the program expands the traditional WSD presentations and networking reception to include congressional engagement on Capitol Hill.
A Program Built for Capitol Hill
The U.S. Celebration of WSD will begin at 11:30 a.m. with a boxed lunch and the WSD Showcase, followed at 12:15 p.m. by the Congressional Briefing—a high-level panel and Q&A exploring national priorities of immediate interest to lawmakers, including U.S. leadership in critical and emerging technologies, critical minerals, data centers, and artificial intelligence.
The WSD Showcase is an interactive space where organizations will present concrete, standards-based solutions to national priorities. Open throughout the event, the Showcase gives congressional staff and fellow attendees a firsthand look at how private-sector-led standards are driving results.
The WSD Celebration begins at 2:00 p.m. with the presentation of the Ronald H. Brown Standards Leadership Award to Walter Zoller and recognition of the WSD Paper Competition winners, followed by a networking reception until 4:00 p.m.
How to Participate
Registration is required for all events. The Congressional Briefing and WSD Showcase are free to attend. Admission to the WSD Celebration and networking reception requires a paid ticket. See details at wsd-us.org and register at https://register.ansi.org/wsd_2026.
Organizations interested in presenting at the WSD Showcase can reserve a table by sponsoring at the Supporter level or above. Tables are limited, and the sponsorship deadline is November 6. Sponsorship details and showcase guidelines are also available at wsd-us.org.
2026 Theme: An Electrifying Future Powered by Standards
As society moves toward a more electrified, connected, and technologically complex future, voluntary consensus standards provide the shared foundation for interoperability, reliability, and trust. They advance innovation and emerging technologies, strengthen infrastructure, protect public health and safety, and fortify cybersecurity and data privacy. This year’s theme recognizes the collective contributions of standards developers, industry, government, and other stakeholders in building a future that is reliable, secure, and resilient.
About World Standards Day
Launched in 1970, World Standards Day is an annual event honoring the contributions of the standards community—including business, industry, academia, and government—to the global community. In the U.S., activities are organized by a planning committee of standards and conformity assessment professionals, co-chaired by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). The National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) is administrating the 2026 U.S. Celebration.
