is the online magazine of BSI Group, highlighting the vital role that standards play in today's business environment by helping organizations improve quality, save money, reduce risk and be more sustainable. Features include interviews with leading business figures, as well as news on the latest developments in management systems, standards, testing, healthcare and certification.
Access World Standards Day
14 Oct 2010
Topics: Accessibility, World Standards Day, Construction, BS 8300, BS 8878
Over 650 million people globally are affected by a disability, yet the world is still struggling to recognize the social, political and economic demands of the disabled population. Accessibility is not only an issue for the elderly or disabled but for anyone who has experienced reduced accessibility. The ability to access information and communicate is as important as entering a building or safely turning on a device. International standards facilitate everybody's access to products, structures and services. International standards help markets to grow faster, increase global trade and encourage inclusiveness.
With a new documentary on accessibility, BSI Group provides some answers to the many questions on buildings accessibility and web accessibility. This is how the world's first national standards body has chosen to celebrate World Standards Day on 14 October. This year's global message is 'Standards make the world accessible for all'. The video - which includes strong and interesting statements from many authoritative contributors - was shown during the European Commission's World Standards Day 2010 'Accessibility for all' conference in Brussels on 12 October.
"People have different needs and abilities", says BSI Film Producer Sofie Sandell. "In this video we want to give them a voice to make sure that their needs are heard and fulfilled thanks to standards".
The documentary touches on several aspects of accessibility, from buildings to websites. The key messages are: If people don't have access to buildings, transport and the web they are locked out from society; standards create opportunities for an active life for all.
BSI Group has always been committed to establishing and supporting standards which promote the availability of products and services to all consumers, regardless of their disability or impairment. And this year's event will highlight the effort BSI is making in this area.
BSI's accessible buildings standard is one of the first and the most advanced accessibility standards in the world (BS 8300) and has been developed by the construction industry in partnership with disability groups. Its reach extends beyond disabled access to inclusive design which means it encompasses the needs of other disadvantaged groups like the elderly and children. It is now used in the design of all public buildings and spaces in the UK and has brought about a fundamental improvement in access, enabling disabled people to benefit equally from all public services, ranging from hospitals to libraries.
Meanwhile, web accessibility is one of the key highlights of this year's World Standards Day. Together with top experts in the field, BSI Group is at the leading edge of delivering solutions in web accessibility. The team is currently working on a new standard (BS 8878) which is due to be published next month and which promises to make a big impact on the way people will be able to access the web.
"Accessibility has become an increasing focus for BSI, recognizing that many of us may at some stage suffer from physical, visual or audio impairment," explains BSI Director of Standards Mike Low. "Be it our homes, our offices, places of recreation or key tools such as computers, the web or phones, it is essential that we are all able to make use of them. By bringing together all the interested parties - the public, industry representative groups and regulators - we are now building a very successful suite of standards tools to achieve better and affordable accessibility".
The new accessibility documentary can be viewed on BSI's YouTube channel.
Business Standards © 2010. Editorial produced by Caspian Publishing in association with The British Standards Institution. Editorial opinions expressed on are not necessarily those of BSI Group or Caspian Publishing. Neither Caspian Publishing nor BSI Group accept responsibility for advertising or editorial content, nor for that appearing on linked third-party websites. Reproduction in whole or in part is forbidden without written permission from BSI Group or Caspian Publishing.
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