ISO President Terry Hill presented the honor to ISO subcommittee (SC 2), Testing and analysis, of ISO technical committee ISO/TC 45, Rubber. He congratulated the subcommittee, which won the award because of its:
- Very open to new and innovative approaches
- Excellent internal communication structures
- External communication
- Efficient meetings
- Continual development of experts, including training sessions
“All these initiatives help the subcommittee to perform well and complete work in an efficient and timely manner,” said the ISO President. “We are lucky enough to have the leadership here with us today to receive the award and I am sure they will be happy to share with you some more details about their work.”
The ISO President drew attention to the SC’s most recent success stories. “The work performed by this subcommittee helps improve the safety and resistance of rubber-based products. Increasingly work is focusing on the health impacts of certain trace chemicals that may be found in such products.”
Japan holds the chairmanship of ISO/TC 45/SC 2, with Mike Okuyama, serving as chair. As the Japan member body to ISO, JISC, serves as ISO/TC 45/SC 2 secretariat. Masami (Sammy) Aoki, the committee’s Secretary, was on hand to receive the honor.
On behalf of the subcommittee, Sammy Aoki praised his colleagues in ISO/TC 45/SC 2, exclaimed that “It is our great honour for JISC as well as ISO/TC 45/SC 2 to be rewarded for our activity.” He said that the subcommittee’s motto “innovative, proactive and cooperative”, had played an important role in the successful development of its standards.
Sammy Aoki noted that it was fitting to receive the award in Brazil, the home of natural rubber. “Captain Columbus took rubber back to Europe in 1493. Nowadays, we cannot live without it,” he said.
ISO established the Lawrence D. Eicher Leadership Award for Excellence in Creative and Innovative ISO/TC/SC Services and Initiatives in 2002, as a tribute to ISO’s late Secretary-General, who served from 1986 to 2002.
