Convene the Convenors 2025: Advancing participation through collaboration
The 2nd Convene the Convenors event brought together 28 ISO and IEC technical committee leaders from across the motu for connection, insight-sharing, and learning. It showed the strength of New Zealand’s standards community and its growing role in shaping both national and international standards.
Convenors for international committees came together in person and online
Attendees represented the broad diversity found across standards - from dairy products, digital economy, AI and academia to engineering, environmental management, quality management and transport to name a few.
Opening with an environmental scan
Malcolm MacMillan, Standards New Zealand National Manager, opened the session with an overview of current priorities amongst the 187 active projects underway. He emphasised the organisation’s alignment with government goals in trade, infrastructure, and talent development, and acknowledged the contributions of convenors to New Zealand and their own industries.
International participation remains a cornerstone of New Zealand’s standards work. Attendees shared how involvement in ISO and IEC committees not only strengthens New Zealand’s voice but also builds valuable global networks. “You gain a panoramic view of the issues,” said one contributor, “and that perspective is essential.”
Participants noted that consistent engagement earns respect and flexibility from international peers. “They want us at the table,” one attendee said. “When we show up, they listen.”
Gender-responsive standards: a case study
Joanne Knight presented a case study on applying gender-responsive principles to an identity proofing standard. The discussion sparked broader reflections on inclusivity in standards development. “If you only have men or only women writing a standard, is it really representative?” one participant asked. The group agreed that while inclusive language and representation are increasingly well understood, assessing real-world impacts remains a complex but important goal.
Collaboration and connection
A key theme throughout the day was the need for better visibility and coordination across committees. Convenors act in a crucial leadership role, yet due to the nature of their industries and specialisms, many end up working in isolation away from other convenors, therefore limiting the ability to learn from others in similar roles. Collaboration, networking and learning remain some of the key objectives of ‘Convene the Convenors’. Participants supported the idea of a shared directory of conveners, including brief bios and areas of expertise. ‘We’re a small country with big ideas,’ one attendee noted. ‘Knowing who’s who helps us work smarter and faster.’
Examples of successful collaboration included buddy systems, curated email digests, and targeted outreach to bring in new voices. Standards New Zealand’s recent efforts to grow participation in areas like AI, blockchain, and cultural heritage were praised as effective and timely.
Some of the convenors in attendance have given decades of contributions to their field of expertise involving repeat iterations of the very standards they helped shape many years ago.
Attendees joined online from across New Zealand
The group also discussed the logistics of hosting international plenaries, with universities highlighted as ideal venues due to their facilities and flexibility.
The event closed with a shared commitment to strengthening New Zealand’s standards system—through better tools, broader participation, and stronger connections with regulators and industry. As one attendee put it, “We’re not just writing standards—we’re building the infrastructure for innovation, trade, and trust.”