On 7–8 September, CPG Director Henning Glaser contributed to the APEC Seminar “The Role of International Standards for Compliance Management Systems in Promoting the Sustainable Development of MSMEs” in Beijing.
Organized by the China National Institute of Standardization (CNIS) under the APEC Sub-Committee on Standards and Conformance (SCSC), the project was proposed by China and co-sponsored by Canada, Peru, Singapore and Viet Nam. It brought together representatives from government, standardization bodies, business, academia and professional practice from across APEC economies and beyond.
Henning joined the panel on opportunities and challenges facing MSMEs in compliance management, addressing difficulties smaller companies face as compliance obligations grow across markets and supply chains.
He then presented in “Sharing of Good Compliance Practices,” drawing on perspectives and experience from Thailand, with a focus on ISO 37301, alongside ISO 37302 and ISO 37303.
On 9 September, Henning was invited to participate in two high-level drafting seminars for group standards under development in China.
The first concerned “ESG Responsible Products and Services Evaluation Specification — General Requirements”. Henning was invited to contribute a brief perspective to the drafting discussion.
The second concerned “Compliance Management Systems for Inspection and Testing Bodies — Requirements and Guidelines for Use”. Participants included senior current and former representatives of key Chinese institutions in certification, accreditation and standardization, and leading experts from inspection and testing, industry and legal practice. The meeting also included Kev Brear, Chair of ISO/TC 309 Governance of Organizations. Henning was invited to contribute before the draft was discussed.
Across both drafting seminars, the concentration of expertise from policy-making, standard-setting and professional practice was remarkable and gave a sense of how rapidly China has developed substantial expertise in ESG- and compliance-management standard-setting.
A visit to China Times included discussions on cross-border ESG developments, particularly China and Europe, and the implications of regulatory developments in both markets for internationally active companies.
A meeting with a representative of the China Quality Certification Center (CQC) focused on sustainability regulation and certification, including the EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) and the way European requirements are being understood and assessed from a Chinese perspective.
CPG is particularly grateful to Henry Chen (Chen Litong), Senior Partner at Dacheng Law Offices Shanghai and CPG Senior Fellow. A longstanding friend and partner of CPG, Henry’s invitation, support and hospitality made these exchanges possible.