HE Governor of SASO, Dr. Saad bin Othman Al-Kasabi, said that SASO aims for the quality infrastructure, with all its components, to become an  effective enabling tool that enhances the competitiveness of the national product in local and global market. 

        This was during the opening speech delivered on behalf of the Governor by Eng. Abdullah Al-Qahtani, Deputy Governor of Standards and Laboratories, during the second Symposium on Standards in Industry, which was organized by SASO in its branch in the Eastern Region, in conjunction with the celebration of World Standards Day, under the slogan "Standards make cities smarter".

        Al-Qahtani explained that the world is undergoing rapid changes at the industrial and technical levels, which necessitates the establishment of clear and specific scientific foundations aimed at unifying standards and requirements so that the world becomes closer and more capable of cooperation at the economic, industrial and commercial levels. He pointed that one of the most important factors to support these efforts is the existence of standard specifications capable of unifying standards and requirements, to ensure that production and industrial innovation are in line with the aspirations of society, so that cities become more sustainable and environmentally friendly.

        Deputy Governor of Standards and Laboratories noted that this celebration is a continuation of the meetings and discussions organized by global standardization bodies in the recent period, including the meeting of the General Assembly of ISO, which one of  its topics was "Standards and their Role in Supporting the Achievement of Industrial Digital Transformation" as one of the most important indicators of the pivotal role of standards in the field of sustainable development and work development in various fields.

        The symposium witnessed a number of scientific sessions, including a working paper entitled "Standards Make Cities Smarter" presented by Dr. Ahmed Babdir, Director of Service Standards Department at SASO, while Eng. Wael Al-Thiab reviewed the objectives and efforts of SASO in the Saudi Professional Program. Moreover, the symposium included a working session to review the experiences of some bodies and companies in the application of standards and their impact on production and quality.​