SCC member receives ISO Excellence Award
The ISO Excellence Award recognizes individuals who made major contributions to advancing standardization. The Standards Council of Canada (SCC) is proud to announce that Canadian Peter Merrill received the 2024 ISO Excellence Award.
Peter has over 25 years of experience in innovation strategy and the development of management systems and standards. He received the 2024 ISO Excellence Award for leading the development of a new standard on innovation management systems, ISO 56001.
“After 25 years of standards writing, it is rewarding to receive this recognition,” Peter said. “I have made many friends across the world in that time, and I hope that my work has made a difference.”
Peter is a member of ISO/TC 176 Quality Management and ISO/TC 279 Innovation management, was convenor of ISO 10018 Quality management – Guidance for people engagement, head of delegation of the Canadian mirror committee to ISO/TC 279, and project lead of ISO 56001 Innovation management system. Peter is president of Quest Management Inc. and a keynote speaker on innovation.
He said: “Innovation is vital for achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). The work I have led on ISO 56001 gives people a systematic approach for managing innovation. It can help deliver on goals like affordable and clean energy, SDG 7, and health, SDG 3.”
The new ISO 56001 Innovation management system standard was released in September 2024. It provides requirements and guidance for establishing, implementing, maintaining and improving an innovation management system. It equips organizations with the framework to manage innovation systematically, reducing uncertainty and increasing the likelihood of achieving significant benefits from new products, services, processes, and business models.
“Peter’s achievement is admirable and highlights the immense value of standards in driving solutions that benefit both businesses and society at large,” said Chantal Guay, CEO of SCC. “This is a moment of pride for Canada.”