By opening this module, you have demonstrated interest in learning more about how consumers and standards can form a mutually beneficial partnership.

Congratulations! You have already taken the first step towards making goods and services meet consumers’ needs.

Click here to download the module to your PC.

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'This is a valuable and accessible resource for consumers to be able to build their knowledge of the role of standards in supporting consumer protection. It shows how effective consumer participation in international and national standards is key in developing standards that will meet consumers needs'

Helen McCallum
DG Consumers International

 

Whether you are working within a standards-writing organization, consumer association, or you are an everyday citizen, the following pages can help you by:

• Describing how consumers can engage with standards to improve our world, with examples
• Helping you find where to look and whom to contact for more information
• Giving a helpful repository of resources.

The structure contains:

• Main content with themes, specific examples and helpful Web sites, with review questions for each section (Go to Section 1)
  
• Useful references, a description of materials that are available to help you (Go to useful references)
  
• Materials and resources, a direct link to files and other resource materials on consumers, standardization and related subjects (Go to Materials and resources)

All sources mentioned in the main parts of the module are available in entirety under Section 8, “Materials and resources” (unless specifically mentioned otherwise).

Many of these resources will be useful to you in the future. They are not intended to be read and absorbed whilst completing this module.

This module will take about a half-day to complete. It is designed so that you can do it in several sessions. If you explore many of the resource materials and hyperlinks to Web sites provided, then you will need some more time. This is optional and entirely at your discretion.

At the end you will be able to:

• Understand what standards are and what they do
• Appreciate how consumers can participate effectively in standards development
• Say why consumers should get involved
• Demonstrate how good standards improve goods and services available for consumers, using concrete examples
• Know where to go for more information

Click here to start now. Good luck and have fun!