Have you ever wondered what truly keeps our food safe — beyond the walls of production plants and the labels we trust?

As we mark World Standards Day 2025, themed “A Shared Vision for a Better World,” we’re reminded that food safety is not built in isolation — it’s built on partnerships and shared standards.

This year’s focus on SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals highlights how collaboration between governments, industries, and communities strengthens our global food system.

Standards like Codex, ISO 22000, and HACCP allow countries and experts to work seamlessly toward one common goal: safe, high-quality food for everyone, everywhere.

They are the invisible threads weaving trust, interoperability, and responsibility across borders ensuring that what reaches our plates is not just food, but safety, care, and collaboration in action.

Why Food Safety Standards Matter

Every bite should nourish, yet 600 million people fall sick each year from unsafe food, costing low- and middle-income nations more than $110 billion in medical and financial expenses. By standardizing the methods for growing, processing, transporting, and inspecting food, international standards aid in reducing these risks. For instance:

• Public health protection: Standards like the Codex Alimentarius (set by FAO/WHO) are science-based guidelines for safe food handling. The USDA notes that “Codex is an international set of food standards that protect public health by ensuring food safety and promoting fair trade practices.” Regulators around the world can base their food laws on Codex, ensuring consistency. In fact, the WTO’s Sanitary & Phytosanitary (SPS) Agreement explicitly directs countries to “base their [food safety] measures on international standards” and names Codex as the global reference. This means that when nations follow Codex or similar standards, they rely on rigorous science to keep people safe and avoid unnecessary trade barriers.
• Consumer trust and product quality: Standards like ISO 22000 (Food Safety Management) give companies a clear framework to identify hazards and control risks. ISO explains that its food safety standards help organizations “identify and control food safety hazards... providing a layer of reassurance within the global food supply chain, helping products cross borders and bringing people food that they can trust.” In practice, a certified food company has documented procedures and checks at every step – so consumers (and regulators) know the product meets high safety and quality criteria. ISO adds that “food standards benefit producers and manufacturers, regulators and retailers and, most important of all, you and me, the consumers.”
• Efficient trade and supply: Consistent standards remove confusion in international markets. When food safety requirements are aligned globally, exporters can enter new markets more easily and authorities can inspect imports based on common rules. As the USDA blog points out, adhering to Codex standards lets “food producers... ensure the products they produce are safe while maximizing their potential to enter international trade”, and gives consumers abroad confidence in those products. Likewise, ISO 22000 includes HACCP principles, enabling firms to meet “current food safety standards across different continents.” This harmonization boosts efficiency: fewer rejected shipments, less food waste, and a more reliable food supply.
• Food quality and continuous improvement: Quality management standards (like ISO 9001) complement safety rules. Most food manufacturers already use ISO 9001 for overall quality. Running ISO 22000 (food safety) “alongside your QMS [ISO 9001] brings additional benefits.” When combined, they guarantee that businesses not only stay clear of risks but also continuously enhance every aspect of their operations, from sourcing ingredients to handling customer complaints. This integrated approach means safer, higher-quality food products on shelves.

International Standards in Action: Examples and Impact

International food safety and quality standards are developed collaboratively by experts worldwide. For instance, the Codex Alimentarius Commission has 189 member countries and many observer organizations. Its standards cover the whole food chain – from hygiene and additives to labeling and pesticide limits. Because Codex texts are risk-based and transparent, regulators can use them in national laws, and producers can follow them voluntarily. The U.S. blog notes: “Food regulators can incorporate Codex texts into their regulations knowing they are science and risk-based, while being no more trade restrictive than necessary. Food producers can follow Codex texts... to ensure their products are safe while maximizing their potential to enter international trade.”

Other international schemes reinforce safety. ISO 22000 applies to any food-chain organization, small or large, helping them document controls and improve traceability. Certification under ISO 22000 or the GFSI-recognized FSSC 22000 means an independent audit has verified the company’s food safety system. Benefits include “a comprehensive, systematic, and proactive approach to identifying food safety hazards”, better HACCP implementation, and “increased traceability” in the food chain. FSSC also highlights how safer food means healthier people and stronger food systems: its analyses emphasize that billions “trust” food producers because they follow international standards, and that such management systems support SDG2 (Zero Hunger) and SDG3 (Good Health) by preventing contamination and disease.

World Health Organization data underscore the stakes: unsafe food traps people in poverty and illness. WHO notes that “only food that is safe can be traded. Safe food allows for the uptake of nutrients and promotes long-term human development. When food is not safe… the Sustainable Development Goals cannot be achieved.” By contrast, safe food production “improves economic opportunities by enabling market access and productivity.”

Global Impact Driven by Food Safety Standards

• Health Improvements: Safe food production prevents foodborne illnesses, reducing healthcare burdens. For example, countries adopting Codex-based hygiene standards report fewer outbreaks of diseases like salmonella and E. coli, directly lowering morbidity and mortality rates.
• Nutrition Gains: Reliable food safety ensures nutrient-rich food reaches consumers unspoiled. This is critical in developing regions where malnutrition is prevalent. Strong standards protect vulnerable populations, contributing to improved child growth and cognitive development.
• Economic Growth through Market Access: Compliance with international standards opens doors to global markets. Agricultural exporters in countries aligned with Codex and ISO 22000 standards, such as Vietnam’s seafood industry or Chile’s fruit exporters have significantly expanded their trade reach, creating jobs and increasing incomes.
• Strengthening Food Systems: Standardized safety measures enhance traceability and accountability across complex food chains, making recalls more efficient and minimizing waste. This resilience supports stable food supplies, which is vital amid climate change and global supply chain disruptions.
• Poverty Reduction: According to the World Bank, unsafe food perpetuates poverty by restricting market access and causing illness-related productivity loss. Conversely, food safety investments empower small producers and businesses to scale up, improving livelihoods and community welfare.

Partnerships: Stakeholders Working Together (SDG 17)

World Standards Day’s theme on partnerships is vividly reflected in food safety governance. Multi-stakeholder collaboration – among farmers, processors, scientists, regulators and NGOs underpins standards development and use. For example, FSSC 22000 explicitly works “closely with [their] partners and stakeholders,” including the Consumer Goods Forum’s Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI), International Accreditation Forum (IAF), UNIDO and UN Global Compact. These partnerships help continuously improve standards and support certification.

Similarly, Codex operates jointly under FAO and WHO, and its open process “includes all voices at the table” – reflecting perspectives from developing countries, industry associations and consumer groups. The result is standards that are inclusive and practical. In industry, many companies actively participate in ISO technical committees (such as ISO/TC 34 on food products) or in global initiatives like the Global Food Safety Initiative. This collaborative spirit – companies sharing data, scientists sharing research, and governments sharing best practices is exactly what SDG 17 calls for.

In summary, international standards in food safety are prime examples of partnership. By agreeing on common rules, countries and industries avoid duplicated efforts and work together to solve problems (e.g. contamination outbreaks, emerging pathogens). Joint training programs, capacity-building in low-income regions (often led by bodies like UNIDO), and information-sharing platforms (like WHO’s INFOSAN) all leverage standards as a shared language. The ethos is clear: “achieving impact means working closely with partners,” and this ethos underlies a safer food system for everyone.

Practical Takeaways for Food Professionals and Regulators

To turn these ideas into action, food industry leaders and regulators can:

• Adopt recognized standards. Implement ISO 22000 (or FSSC 22000/HACCP) for food safety, and ISO 9001 for quality management. This ensures a comprehensive management system.
• Train and audit. Regularly train staff on standard procedures and conduct third-party audits. Fresh enforcement of documented processes prevents lapses and builds trust with customers and authorities.
• Engage globally. Participate in Codex meetings or ISO committees if possible. Even at a company level, follow updates from standards bodies and align with international guidelines. This keeps products compliant worldwide.
• Collaborate locally. Share lessons with peers, join industry groups (like GFSI or national food safety forums), and work with regulators on risk assessments. Partnerships at all levels reflect the World Standards Day theme of joint action.
• Communicate successes. Use World Standards Day (Oct 14) to highlight achievements: share stories of safer food, mention certifications earned, or cite reductions in foodborne illness. On LinkedIn or your blog, tag #WorldStandardsDay, #FoodSafety, #SDG17 to join the global conversation.

Conclusion

On World Standards Day 2025, we are reminded that international food safety standards are vital enablers of cooperation, progress and public health. More than technical and regulatory rules, they are lifelines. Every standard adopted, every certification achieved, and every hazard prevented represents real people whose lives are safeguarded.

When food is safe, nutrition reaches those who need it most, economies flourish through fair trade, and poverty loses one of its most insidious tools—illness. Standards transform the invisible work of regulators, producers, and scientists into tangible human impact, turning rules into trust, inspections into hope, and compliance into opportunity.

This World Standards Day, let’s remember: behind every label, audit, and certification is a story of health preserved, hunger averted, and dignity restored. By embracing and promoting robust food safety standards, we are not just safeguarding food, we are safeguarding life, growth, and the future of our global community.