ISO Focus
ISO Focus (2004-2009)
ISO Focus was published in English only from 2004 to 2009, 11 issues per year. It provided an overview of ISO's standards and related activities.
2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009
ISO Focus 2009
November-December
Continual competence
Today's global workforce has become increasingly mobile. Individuals are more likely to change jobs, organizations, careers and even countries, several times throughout their lifetime. With rising unemployment, skills development and training are one of the few constants needed to obtain, and keep decent work.
October
On the road to safety
The statistics are startling: Road traffic crashes kill more than 3 000 people, including 1 000 children and young people, every day. Annually, 1.3 million are killed and at least 50 million are injured. Now more than ever, steps must be taken around the world to ensure road safety comes to the top of the international agenda.
September
Going green
The end of 2009 could see a new treaty to replace the Kyoto protocol, following the much awaited United Nations Climate Change Conference to take place in Copenhagen, Denmark. Climate change is also the subject of this year’s World Standards Day (October 14).
July-August
Renewing confidence
As the world takes its first sluggish steps out of an economic recession, it becomes clear that what the world needs now is confidence, the bedrock of business. And ISO standards are all about promoting and renewing confidence. Because of their international multi-stakeholder recognition and their voluntary nature, they are powerful tools for organizations to become proactively accountable.
June
Tackling hazards
Hazards are all around us. The causes may be different – whether human negligence, malevolence or natural disasters – but their likelihood (and seriousness) is no less real. The June issue looks at how International Standards are practical tools to assess, prevent and respond to hazards.
May
Working together
The development of international consensus-based standards cannot be carried out in isolation. To ensure practicality, wide adoption and address current needs, it is crucial to include a large spectrum of stakeholders, so that all views are reflected in the end product.
April
ISO and the Media
Tools like digital photography, PDF and XML have dramatically transformed the way we communicate, opening up a world of possibility for the media. Minutes after it happens, we can read online about an earthquake hitting a remote part of the world. Today, anyone can witness an event, capture it on video, and post it on the Web to be seen by millions.
March
Practical sustainability
Sustainability has been defined as the ability to meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.
February
Materials - Building blocks of performance
We are easily impressed by the great technological achievements of our time. But we often take for granted the building blocks that enabled these creations.
January
Water - The vital challenge
Access to safe water is recognized as a basic human right. Yet, while part of the world’s population takes its supply of on-tap water and sanitation services for granted, millions of people must work hard to secure it. Still others are entirely deprived of this basic right.
Views from the top
A compilation of interviews that offers insights into the minds of the world's top CEOs.
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CEO's speak out
Interviews with the world's top CEOs having shared their views in ISO Focus :
- Juan Somavia, Director-General, International Labour Organization (ILO)
- Mark L. Rosenberg, Director, Global Road Safety Forum
- Yvo de Boer, Executive Secretary, UNFCCC
- John Wilson; Lead Economist, Development Research Group, World Bank
- Cheryl L. White, Corporate Vice President, Quality, Baxter
- Ronnie Amit, CEO and General Secretary, IEC and Malcolm Johnson, Director, ITU-T
- Reiner Mittelbach, CEO, IFRA
- Daniel Gagnier, Chair, Board of Directors, IISD
- Eija Pitkänen, Head of Sustainability, Stora Enso
- Loïc Fauchon, President, World Water Council
- Povl Krogsgaard, Vice CEO, Arla Foods
- and more...


