Recap Day 1

Trust takes shape in Paris

The City of Light provided the perfect setting as Dr Khaled Soufi opened the ISO Annual Meeting 2026 – his first as ISO President. Welcoming the global standards community to Paris, he brought the theme of the week into sharp focus: “Trust is no longer assumed – it must be built, proven and sustained over time.”

We believe that trust is the main asset of ISO. It’s also the main contribution we make to the world.

Certaines des normes emblématiques de l’ISO sont des réponses aux enjeux globaux qui nous concernent toutes et tous.

Dance brought that spirit vividly to life. Anastasia Vilanova’s choreography opened the evening with a powerful, contemporary response to a changing world. Murmuration then closed the ceremony with a dazzling finale – 27 dancers moving in hypnotic unison – before drawing the audience into the performance.

For host AFNOR, ISO’s member for France, celebrating its centenary this year, it was a particularly memorable event.

And we’re off!

The Annual Meeting’s opening press conference wasted no time in tackling the big questions ahead. How do we build trust when the world is changing so fast? Leaders from ISO, UNDP and AFNOR set the tone for a week of bold ideas, lively debate and collective action.

First in the spotlight: the launch of ISO/UNDP 53001, a groundbreaking new standard designed to help organizations turn sustainable development commitments into measurable action. The floor then opened to journalists, whose questions kept the conversation – and the energy in the room – flowing.

ISO is really a key player in a number of situations to improve trust.

A world first for the SDGs

The UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) have a new ally, and it made its debut in Paris today. Developed by ISO and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), ISO/UNDP 53001 is the world’s first International Standard to provide a management system for contributing to the Goals. It gives organizations a practical way to bring sustainable development into strategy, decision-making and operations – and track their progress over time.

ISO y el PNUD presentan la primera Norma Internacional del mundo para impulsar la acción en relación con los Objetivos de Desarrollo Sostenible

París (Francia), 28 de septiembre de 2026 – ISO y el PNUD han presentado hoy ISO/UNDP 53001, Sistemas de gestión para los Objetivos de Desarrollo Sostenible …

ISO/UNDP 53001:2026

Sistemas de gestión para los Objetivos de Desarrollo Sostenible (ODS) de las Naciones Unidas — Requisitos

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Sixty years... and looking ahead

This year’s DEVCO plenary, the annual gathering of ISO’s Committee on developing country matters, marked a significant milestone, as the committee celebrated 60 years of collaboration supporting developing countries in standardization. In an informal exchange with DEVCO Chair Elhadji Abdourahmane Ndione, ISO President Dr Khaled Soufi reflected on his journey in standardization, his hopes for ISO’s future and the barriers that still limit developing countries’ participation in standards development. With the ISO Action Plan for developing countries 2026–2030 now in effect, the anniversary was a chance to look ahead as well as celebrate how far the committee has come.

Shaping DEVCO’s future

The afternoon put members’ ideas to work. In lively roundtable discussions, participants explored the challenges facing developing countries and where DEVCO could make the greatest difference. Their feedback will help shape the committee’s priorities and partnerships for the years ahead – giving members a direct hand in what comes next.

Bringing partners closer

Across two days of short, focused sessions, the first Partners’ Hub programme brought ISO and its partners together with plenty to discuss – and a strong appetite for closer cooperation. Partners arrived ready to share insights from their networks, tackle common challenges and explore how to make standards count for more people.

The exchanges turned that ambition into practical priorities: communicate the value of standards more clearly, involve a broader range of stakeholders in shaping them and help businesses and policymakers move from paper to practice. Alongside these priorities came another challenge: how to gather evidence of what standards achieve, for organizations, communities and the wider world.

Greater coherence emerged as essential. By connecting their work on standards development, promotion and implementation, ISO and its partners can achieve more together. The Hub helped clarify where that cooperation could make the greatest difference – and what it will take to put it to work.

Standards seen differently

What will standards look like tomorrow? In the Digital Hub, participants got to explore the answer for themselves. Live demonstrations followed a standard from the experts developing it to the people using its content, while polls and member experiences kept the conversation grounded in what works today – and what still needs to improve. The journey then turned to the digital services helping ISO members move forward at their own pace.

The heart and soul of the week: Between sessions, the ISO Village has been buzzing with conversation. Over coffee, around demos and in workshop spaces, people are meeting, exchanging ideas and making connections that will last far beyond Paris.