Goal 17 - Revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development

Agenda 2030 and its 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) requires partnerships between Governments, private sector and civil society. These partnerships need to share common principles and values with shared vision and goals which the Agenda 2030 has created the platform for. The collaboration needs to take place both on local, national, regional and international level. Some of the targets under SDG 17 refers to finance, technology, capacity building, trade and systemic issues. SIS is through its membership in ISO (International Standards Organisation) and CEN (European Committee for Standardisation) and engagement in both developed and developing countries, one of many organisations creating these kind of partnerships.

The standardisation work is a stakeholder-driven process operating in a global context where 165 countries are members in ISO and represented by a Standards institution, not their Government and with equal power (one country, one vote). It should though be mentioned that the National Standards Institution in many developing countries are directly reporting to the authorizing Ministry (often Ministry of Industry or Ministry of Commerce). But the open and transparent process of development of standards creates a platform where Governments, private sector and civil society can meet, discuss and reach consensus on different standards. One of the main strengths with standards is to create common requirements for which various organisations can operate and agree on terms needed to develop technology, trade, systems and support a sustainable development.

Apart from the international involvement, SIS is contributing in national partnerships through the national technical committee on different standards. Regional partnerships by its membership in CEN but also supporting other regional cooperation in East Africa (EAC), southeast Asia (ASEAN), South Asia (SAARC), West Africa (ECOWAS), Middle East (Agadir agreement and AIDMO) through its projects in developing countries and locally through supporting various NGOs, companies, academia and organisations in strengthening their capacity and engagement in development of standards.