A study shows that standards are useful!

Contrary to the cliché on standards that would penalize companies, an unpublished Afnor study carried out by the BIPE shows instead that voluntary standardization is a lever for economic development.

20%: Standards boost sales

This is the increase in annual revenue growth of the companies involved in the development of the standards: they show an annual growth rate of 4% compared to the 3.3% average recorded for all companies. Those who engage in the process of creating voluntary standards are resolutely better prepared to face economic competition. Standards act as a growth accelerator and a factor that avoids degrading it.

19%: they help export

This is the additional export turnover that companies that buy standards or are part of standards commissions get. Their export rate is 18.2%, while the average business rate is 15.3%. Voluntary standards are unquestionably a passport to sell better outside its borders. They promote interoperability between different products and services, which can thus better dialogue internationally. This common language is a reliable reference solution whose legitimacy is guaranteed. For the consumer, the standards shared by the largest number of players, prevent him from being trapped by a technology or a closed system.

15 billion euros: standards boost production and reduce costs

This is the annual contribution of the use of voluntary standards to French production. When companies get involved in writing standards and apply them for their products and services, they sell and produce more. The Afnor study clearly shows that the corpus of voluntary standards is one of the best allies in productivity. Last important aspect: companies integrating standards, optimize the use and maintenance of their installation, harmonizing their production tools on their different sites. It is a way to reduce costs. Similarly, environmental and energy management systems, exercises based on international voluntary standards, lighten certain loads (waste treatment, energy consumption).

The BIPE cross-referenced economic data from 2,099 companies in all sectors that have participated in standardization since 2005. Three themes were isolated to measure the effect of standards: revenue growth, export rate and production. The study measures the impact of standardization on the economy with variables related to the actual consumption of standards (purchases of standards, number of buyers) and the process of producing standards (number of companies sitting on standardization commissions).

Established in 1958 on the initiative of french governments and large companies, BIPE is an independent economic studies and strategy consultancy with private companies and public authorities. For more than 50 years, bipE has acquired an original strategic support capability combining multi-disciplinary, sectoral expertise, forward-looking lighting and the power of economic modeling. The contribution of bipE lies in its ability to independently quantify, predict and anticipate the evolution of sectors, actors and the economic environment from different quantitative (economic forecasting, socio-demography, etc.) and qualitative (prospective, marketing segmentation, strategic analysis).

Find out more: www.afnor.org