Masami Tanaka started 2005 with a new job, president of the International Organization for Standardization. Tanaka emphasized in his inaugural message the need for sustainable development and standardization in a globalized society. “Sustainable development and the global economy require international standards that, at the same time, lower technical barriers to trade and disseminate technologies and good practices,” he said. “These standards should be globally relevant and designed to meet market and regulatory needs in a flexible, timely and cost-effective manner.”

Tanaka expressed his support for ISO’s recently published Five-Year Action Plan for Developing Countries, and for the use of global standards in developing economies. “As we expand our work in new areas such as services, sustainable development, security and information technologies, we must make sure that our processes and deliverables are optimized, and that we make the best of our collaboration with other international and global organizations,” Tanaka said. “At the same time, we must not neglect our ‘basics,’ ensuring that our standards related to more traditional sectors are regularly maintained and that we withdraw those which have become obsolete.”

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