Technology and innovation are essential to addressing climate change and many other global challenges, but they are only as effective as the people behind them.

March 4 is World Engineering Day, highlighting the vital role of engineering and engineers in driving progress and sustainable development, and emphasizing the importance of ensuring that future generations get involved.

IEC standards and conformity assessment systems are key enablers for the engineering profession, providing practical and effective tools for the safety, performance and compatibility of electrical, electronic and related technologies. They ensure global interoperability for power systems, consumer electronics and industrial automation, acting as a shared engineering language, facilitating international trade and ensure compliance for products.

Yet sustainable progress is increasingly challenged by uneven regional capacity, persistent brain drain and skills shortages, making it essential to attract, support and retain young engineers to sustain SDG progress beyond 2030.

Recognizing this, IEC Academy has organized a free public webinar on 3 March 2026 Engineering sustainable development: Measuring impact and accelerating progress.