ASTM International’s vice president of global cooperation, Teresa Cendrowska, will highlight the role small businesses play in standards development during the 39th meeting of the Pacific Area Standards Congress (PASC) from May 9-12 in Indonesia. This year’s theme is “How to Engage Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSME’s) in Standardization Activities.”

The 24 members of PASC are the standards bodies of nations bordering the Pacific Ocean.

This year’s weeklong program includes a full-day workshop aimed at strengthening collaboration among members and within regional organizations such as the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). The workshop features four sessions related to the theme:

1.    Global and Regional Perspectives; Standards Supporting MSMEs’ Needs
2.    National Practices Leveraging Standards and Certification Schemes for MSMEs’ Benefits
3.    Promoting Standardization to MSMEs
4.    A PASC Strategy for MSMEs – Summary, Outcomes and Next Steps

Cendrowska will present in session three as a representative of a U.S.-based standards organization. Other presenters in that session include the National Agency of Drug and Food Control (Indonesia), Japan Industrial Standards Committee (JISC), the Standards Adminstration of the Peoples’ Republic of China (SAC), the Korean Agency for Standards and Technology (KATS) of South Korea, and the South African Bureau of Standards (SABS). 

Cendrowska’s participation supports ASTM International’s “Year of the SME” in 2016 which draws attention to the importance of active and equal participation by SMEs in international standards development.  For more information, go to www.astm.org/SME.

Media Inquiries: Nathan Osburn, tel +1.610.832.9603; nosburn@astm.org
ASTM Staff Contact: Teresa Cendrowska, tel +1.610.832.9718; tcendrowska@astm.org

Release #10069