As digitalization and the green transition continue to shape society, standards play an increasingly important role in ensuring that products and services are safe, reliable, accessible and fit for purpose. Alongside its core responsibility of developing and adopting standards, the Slovenian Institute for Standardization (SIST) places particular emphasis on engaging consumers and raising public awareness of the value of standardization. These activities illustrate how a national standards body can promote broader stakeholder involvement and increase awareness of the role of standardization in society.
One of the key mechanisms for representing consumer interests is the SIST Consumer Committee. As a dedicated working body, the committee provides a platform for incorporating the consumer perspective into the standardization process and encourages dialogue among relevant national stakeholders. Its members include representatives from the Slovene Consumers' Association, the Market Inspectorate of the Republic of Slovenia, the Ministry of the Economy, Labour and Sport, the Ministry of Agriculture, the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of the Environment and Spatial Planning, the Jožef Stefan Institute, and the University of Maribor. The committee also monitors developments at the European level and cooperates with organizations such as ANEC, helping to ensure that consumer priorities related to safety, accessibility, sustainability, and digitalization are taken into account in national standardization activities.
Consumer protection is not limited to the development of standards. By bringing together consumer organizations, public authorities, academia, and technical experts, the committee helps ensure that standards respond to the practical needs of people in their everyday lives. This includes areas such as product safety, accessibility, transparency, environmental sustainability, and the usability of digital products and services. In this way, standards complement legislation by providing practical technical solutions that support the consistent implementation of consumer protection requirements.
Standards also play an important role in supporting food safety and quality throughout the food supply chain. European and international standards provide a common framework for food safety management, laboratory competence, and conformity assessment, helping producers, authorities, and consumers alike. They contribute to consumer confidence in food products while supporting the consistent implementation of food safety requirements. Standardization also supports broader sustainability objectives by encouraging more efficient use of resources and reducing food loss and food waste across the supply chain.
Particular attention is also given to the needs of vulnerable consumer groups, including older persons, children, and persons with disabilities. Standards support accessible products, and digital services contribute to equal access and greater usability for all users. By encouraging these perspectives to be considered throughout the standardization process, SIST aims to promote inclusive, safe, and user-centred solutions that benefit society as a whole.
An important part of SIST's public engagement activities focuses on increasing awareness and understanding of standardization among younger generations. One of the main initiatives supporting this objective is the Young Ambassadors of Standardization initiative.
The initiative originated at a student hackathon held during the annual Autumn School of Standardization and gives students an opportunity to explore the role that standards play in everyday life. Through the initiative, participants develop a better understanding of how standardization contributes to product safety, sustainability, innovation, and technological development, while also developing the skills to communicate these topics to their peers.
The selected Young Ambassadors share their experience and knowledge with fellow students, helping to explain how standards contribute to everyday life, from product safety and environmental protection to interoperability and emerging technologies. They also participate in educational events and conferences, promoting a better understanding of standardization among students and young professionals.
In addition to educational initiatives, SIST uses a range of communication channels to present standardization in a clear and accessible way. Through podcasts and other public outreach activities, experts discuss the role of standards in supporting consumer protection, facilitating innovation, strengthening market confidence, and contributing to sustainable development.
By combining consumer engagement with initiatives that raise awareness among young people, SIST aims to make standardization more understandable and relevant to the wider public. Together, these activities demonstrate SIST's commitment to making standardization more transparent, inclusive, and relevant to society, while encouraging consumers and future professionals to better understand its role in everyday life.
