Intel CEO on the need for International Standards
http://www.iso.org/iso/en/commcentre/pressreleases/2005/Ref950.html
Ref.: 950
16 February 2005
Intel CEO on the need for International Standards
"Companies that embrace standards that have been globally adopted and reflect world-wide consensus are in the best position to succeed because they are able to create world-class products based on high-quality standards."
This is the view of Craig R. Barrett, chairman and chief executive officer of Intel, the world-leading semiconductor technology company. Barrett is the subject of an exclusive interview in the February issue of
ISO Focus (
www.iso.org/isofocus), the magazine of the International Organization for Standardization.
"These products have the benefit of being developed with broad participation, incorporating global perspectives and requirements," Barrett tells ISO Focus. "Standards that have been adopted globally free companies to compete in various markets around the world without having to develop multiple versions of a product."
Barrett appreciates that ISO standards are associated with worldwide consensus and quality. "Use of ISO standards in areas of management systems and supplier's declaration of conformity," he says, "have helped us maintain our world-class manufacturing excellence …. Meeting these requirements will inspire high confidence among governments, regulatory bodies and consumers because the standard represents a world-class benchmark that can be applied globally across all businesses."
As a 'building-blocks' supplier, Intel uses ISO standards in its own products as well as to help set electronics industry-specific standards in, for example, the area of design for environment. Says Barrett, "Intel seeks to conform to international standards to promote product harmonization and to facilitate trade, which in turn makes it easier for our adopters and customers to market their products and compete in more markets around the world."
Both ISO 9001:2000 and ISO 14001:2004 management system standards, respectively for quality and environment, are fully integrated in Intel's corporate quality network and environmental, health and safety organizations world wide. "We have been able to use [ISO 9001] and its revisions as a means of driving continuous improvement in many areas," Barrett says in the interview. "In addition, we have leveraged the framework in our supplier selection, management and recognition processes, enabling us to keep pace with increasing expectations on supply chain performance."
Global standards also bring a great many benefits to consumers, Barrett emphasizes: "They lead to a higher number of product offerings for consumers, and introduce more competition and lower costs. Consumers are more willing to buy products when they are based on such standards because it is a safer choice."
"Intel remains a committed contributor to the development of ISO specifications," says the company's CEO. The world is getting smaller as people and countries become more interconnected, so the need for global standards has grown …. We look forward to ISO's continued leadership."
Note for editors: Craig R. Barrett, having served in several senior managerial posts in Intel since joining the company in 1974, has been Chief Executive Officer since 1998 and will serve as Chairman of the Intel board of directors from May 2005. In addition to authoring more than 40 technical papers dealing with the influence of microstructure on the properties of materials, and a textbook on materials science, he is a trustee for the US Council for International Business and a board member of the US Semiconductor Industry Association as well as of the Silicon Valley Manufacturing Group. He was recently elected Chair of the National Academy of Engineering, is Co-Chairman of the Business Coalition for Excellence in Education and Chairman of the Computer Systems Policy Project.
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