Standards and Quality Infrastructure: Foundations for Sustainable Development

Vienna, 17 December 2025 – The World Development Report 2025 emphasizes that standards and comprehensive Quality Infrastructure (QI) are not just technical instruments—they are strategic enablers of sustainable development. QI systems, which encompass standards, accreditation, metrology, conformity assessment, and market surveillance, create the backbone for reliable markets and inclusive industrial growth.

As a global thought leader in QI development, the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) has been pivotal in shaping international discourse and supporting countries to design coherent quality policies and build strong institutional capacities. UNIDO actively contributed to the development of the report by providing data, insights, and technical expertise, to ensure evidence-based perspectives and practical experience were reflected. This engagement highlights UNIDO’s commitment to promoting robust QI systems as drivers of sustainable industrialization.

The report underscores that investing in QI is essential for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It enables countries to meet health, safety, and environmental standards, supports green technologies, and fosters industrial diversification. QI also plays a critical role in advancing digitalization and innovation ecosystems, ensuring that emerging technologies meet international benchmarks for quality and safety.

By embedding trust and transparency in products and services, QI facilitates regulatory compliance, strengthens trade competitiveness, and drives innovation—particularly for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) seeking to access global value chains. In a world facing rapid technological transformation and climate challenges, robust QI frameworks help economies remain resilient, future-ready, and aligned with sustainability objectives.

The report confirms that standards and QI are not optional—they are strategic imperatives for competitiveness, resilience, and sustainable growth in the 21st century.

Download the World Development Report 2025 here: https://www.worldbank.org/en/publication/wdr2025

For more information contact: Alejandro Rivera Rojas a.rivera-rojas [at] unido.org