UNIDO Leads Global Dialogue on Enhancing Quality Infrastructure to Respond to Global Challenges

Vienna, Austria – 13-15 November 2024: Over 50 international experts and policymakers gathered at the “Rethinking Quality Infrastructure: Quality Policies for a sustainable future event,” hosted by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) in response to the growing demand for robust, citizen-centred quality policies, underpinning effective quality infrastructure systems. Through more than 30 sessions—including presentations, panel discussions, and case studies—participants discussed evolving trends, policy integration, and quality infrastructure systems that support sustainable development goals.

Tackling today’s challenges with updated Quality Policies

Climate change, energy transitions, digital advancements, and evolving regulatory landscapes demand proactive, specific responses. The first day of the Expert Group Meeting focused on how UNIDO’s foundational Quality Policy Trilogy can be updated to meet these challenges. Originally developed with the International Network on Quality Infrastructure (INetQI) in 2018, this set of documents provide guidelines that help nations establish resilient quality infrastructure (QI) systems to support national, regional, and international trade, geared towards sustainable and inclusive industrial development. Reflecting on the experience captured by the LAC, MENA, Asia and Africa case studies, the participants shared their experiences and explored ways to update the trilogy of documents to respond to the evolving needs. Their conclusion was that Quality Infrastructure can be a powerful tool to achieve sustainable development objectives, in the context of the SDGs.

One size does not fit all

On the event’s second day, participants took stock of case studies and best practices from various countries and diverse thematic approaches. Examining how quality policies are designed, implemented, and assessed within different regional and thematic contexts, representatives shared successes and challenges encountered in developing robust SDGs-aligned Quality Infrastructure (QI) systems and tools. This exchange provided insights into the unique approaches to Quality Policy (QP) across regions. It highlighted the necessity to adjust policy to regional demands and specific contexts, cognizant of language, trust, insufficient participation, and inter-organizational cooperation, among other barriers.

Spotlight on the QI4SD Index and new methodologies

The final day focused on the QI4SD Index, a tool designed to assess national QI systems’ capacity to support the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). By mapping indicators across five dimensions—standardization, metrology, accreditation, conformity assessment, and policy—the QI4SD Index provides a framework to evaluate QI from a sustainability perspective. The participants to the Quality Policy Expert Group Meeting focused on the analysis of how Quality Policies at national and regional level can support addressing the critical global needs across people, prosperity, and the planet.

The event is a continuation of the annual QI expert gathering series UNIDO has been leading over the past decade.

For additional information or media inquiries, please contact: d.nati [at] unido.org, e.muschialli [at] unido.org, a.rivera-rojas [at] unido.org