GSC (Global Standards Collaboration)

The Global Standards Collaboration (GSC) is a forum that brings together the world's leading standards development organizations (SDOs) to collaborate on standards development and to promote global standardization efforts. The forum was established in 1991 as a means to facilitate dialogue and cooperation among SDOs and to address issues that transcend individual organizations. Today, GSC comprises of seven members including: the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF), the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), and the European Committee for Standardization (CEN).

The primary goal of GSC is to promote cooperation and collaboration between SDOs in order to achieve global standardization. This goal is achieved through regular meetings between the member organizations, where issues such as the coordination of standards development activities, the development of common approaches to standardization, and the identification of new and emerging technologies are discussed.

One of the key benefits of the GSC forum is the opportunity for SDOs to share their experiences and best practices with one another. This can help to improve the quality and consistency of standards development across different regions of the world. Additionally, the GSC provides a platform for SDOs to engage with other stakeholders, including governments, industry, and consumers, to ensure that standards meet the needs of all parties.

Another important function of the GSC is to identify areas of standardization that require urgent attention. This includes issues such as cybersecurity, the Internet of Things (IoT), and the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in various industries. By working together, the member organizations can develop standardized solutions to these challenges, which can benefit all stakeholders.

In addition to its regular meetings, the GSC also publishes a joint statement on the state of global standardization each year. This statement is designed to provide an overview of the progress that has been made in standardization over the past year and to identify areas where further work is required. It also includes recommendations for future actions that can be taken to improve global standardization efforts.

The GSC has also played a key role in the development of several important global standards. For example, the GSC was instrumental in the development of the ISO/IEC 27001 standard on information security management systems, which has become widely adopted by organizations around the world. The GSC has also been involved in the development of standards related to the IoT, including the ISO/IEC 30141 standard on IoT reference architecture and the ITU-T Y.2060 standard on IoT ecosystems.

Overall, the Global Standards Collaboration is an important forum for promoting cooperation and collaboration among SDOs. By working together, the member organizations can ensure that standards development activities are consistent and of high quality, and can address urgent standardization challenges in a timely and effective manner. As the world becomes more interconnected and globalized, the work of the GSC will become increasingly important in ensuring that standards meet the needs of all stakeholders.