Raising the standard

A trusted source

Under the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), the standardization system in the US is voluntary consensus-based and open market-driven, meaning standards for products and services are trusted and relevant.

“Standards are the invisible foundation of everything we depend on – every secure online payment, every medical device that saves lives, every new technology, from surgical robots to AI-powered delivery systems,” says Dr Laurie Locascio, President and CEO at ANSI. “Standards provide the guidance that enables all these things to work safely, work reliably, and work together.”

Furthermore, those technical standards are driven by a broad variety of stakeholders and experts who work together to grow the local economy and that of the world, boosting business, innovation, and sustainability.

Born in the USA

Founded in 1918 and headquartered in Washington DC, ANSI administers and co-ordinates the US standardization system while pushing forward its mission to protect its integrity, promote global business, and enhance the quality of life for US citizens.

The body has more than 1,400 members representing over 270,000 companies and organizations, from small businesses and international corporations to trade associations and government agencies. It also reaches some 30 million professionals around the world, providing them with the tools to become industry leaders.

Partners in Africa

Beyond the US, ANSI collaborates with others to help tackle global challenges, such as the 3.4 billion people who lack access to safely managed sanitation. The organization has worked with the Association Sénégalaise de Normalisation (ASN), the equivalent standards body in Senegal, West Africa to develop ISO 30500, an international standard for safe, non-sewered sanitation systems. The project had to meet ambitious UN requirements, such as treating waste and ensuring the systems would work off-grid in any country, rich or poor.

In 2025, seven years after ISO 30500 was first developed, the standard was revised to improve efficiency of the product and address new challenges based on real-world experiences.

“This cycle of develop, deploy, learn, and improve is how international standardization drives progress,” says Leslie McDermott, Senior Director, International Development at ANSI.

What does a sustainable future look like?

From emerging technology to infrastructure, health, and climate change, ANSI recognizes that by supporting international standardization activities, complex issues can be addressed in every sector.

“By working together across borders and bringing diverse voices to the table, we can tackle global challenges and build a more sustainable, equitable future,” says Dr Locascio.

The sanitation project shows what is possible through cross-border collaboration, progressing SDG 6, which aims to ensure the availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all. By using international standards to improve public health, ANSI is also enabling communities to return to school or work, lifting them out of poverty, and advancing sustainable development worldwide.