World Standards Day (or International Standards Day) is celebrated internationally each year on 14 October. The day honours the efforts of the thousands of experts who develop voluntary standards within standards development organizations such as the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), International Organization for Standardization(ISO), International Telecommunication Union (ITU), Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) and Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF). The aim of World Standards Day is to raise awareness among regulators, industry and consumers as to the importance of standardization to the global economy.

14 October was specifically chosen to mark the date, in 1946, when delegates from 25 countries first gathered in London and decided to create an international organization focused on facilitating standardization. Even though ISO was formed one year later, it wasn’t until 1970 that the first World Standards Day was celebrated.

Around the globe, various activities are chosen by national bodies to commemorate the date. The United States held a 2014 U.S. Celebration of World Standards Day on 23 October 2014. The Standards Council of Canada (SCC), Canada’s national accreditation body, celebrates World Standards Day together with the international community by observing the day near the dates of the international observance. In 2012 SCC celebrated World Standards Day on Friday, 12 October.