China has initiated a new phase of selecting enterprise standards leaders with the release of the Announcement on Key Areas for Selecting Enterprise Standards “Front-runner” in 2024 by the State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) on June 20, 2024. This marks the official commencement of the selection and evaluation process. The Announcement outlines 146 priority fields across 57 sectors including agriculture, furniture manufacturing, textile industry, vehicle manufacturing, and insurance. These sectors are targeted to stimulate consumption, boost domestic demand, and foster sustainable and high-quality consumption practices. The selection process begins with governmental identification of priority areas, followed by the China National Institute of Standardization (CNIS) conducting appraisals and selections. Key activities following the Announcement include:

  1. On June 25, 2024, the CNIS organized a training session to develop the appraisal scheme for the 2024 enterprise standard “front-runners”. The session covered background information, requirements for evaluation plan preparation, detailed interpretation of the Announcement, introduction of theEnterprise Standard “Front-runner”Work Guide (Draft for comment), overview of the enterprise standard “Front-runner” management information platform, and discussions on application deadlines for appraisal schemes.
  2. On June 27, 2024, the CNIS issued a call for appraisal institutes and schemes for the Enterprise Standards “Front-runner” in 2024, specifying scope, conditions, approach, and contact details in preparation for the selection process.
  3. On June 28, 2024, the CNIS released the Enterprise Standard “Front-runner” Work Guide (trial) (Draft for comment), which updates the previous Implementation Plan (Trial) from 2018. Alongside editorial adjustments, the Work Guide clarifies the role of government authorities, particularly the SAMR, in identifying key areas and guiding the CNIS.

Background information:

In accordance with the China Standardization Law revised in 2017, enterprises are required to disclose the standards they implement, whether national, recommended, association, or enterprise standards. The SAMR, along with other ministries, launched the Enterprise Standard “Front-runner” Project in 2018 to recognize enterprises that adhere to top-tier product and service standards, particularly enterprise and association standards, as national and sector standards often do not reflect industry-leading practices. This initiative aims to nurture enterprises committed to high-quality development and innovation through the adoption of advanced standards.