Recently, the ISO 20671-3:2023 international standard, titled "Brand Evaluation—Part 3: Requirements and Recommendations for Brands Related to Geographical Indications," led by Researcher Yang Zeshi from the School of Economics and Management at China Jiliang University was officially released.
This international standard is under the jurisdiction of the ISO/TC 289, the technical committee on brand evaluation within the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). ISO/TC 289 is dedicated to promoting the results and practices of brand value evaluation research globally, helping companies around the world manage their brands more effectively, fostering sustainable corporate development, and providing additional value to consumers and other stakeholders. The committee also aims to standardize brand value evaluation practices, guide companies in enhancing brand value and impact, and promote the establishment of a unified global brand value evaluation system to advance international trade. In 2015, ISO/TC 289 introduced the first international standard project, ISO 20671 "Brand Evaluation — Principles and Fundamentals," which was officially published in 2019 as a foundational standard in the field of brand evaluation. The newly released ISO 20671-3 international standard is part of this ISO 20671 series.
The ISO 20671-3 international standard builds on the systematic approach of the ISO 20671-1 standard, outlining the methods, foundations, and principles for evaluating brands related to geographical indications (BGI), including key elements and dimensions. This standard is applicable to BGI initiators for investment decisions, as well as to current and potential BGI users for investment and adoption decisions. Although China is a major producer of geographical indication products, there is still a significant gap compared to developed countries. Zhejiang Province is a leading producer of geographical indication products in China, and the introduction of this international standard will actively contribute to the brand development and evaluation work in Zhejiang Province and across the country.
China began promoting the establishment of a brand evaluation technical body within the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) in 2013. In 2014, ISO approved the creation of ISO/TC 289, with the Secretariat located at the China Council for Brand Development, receiving recognition and respect from ISO/TC 289 member countries. From the initial application for the establishment of ISO/TC 289 to its official launch in 2019, Researcher Yang Zeshi has played a crucial role as the head of the Chinese delegation and a registered expert. Currently, ISO/TC 289 includes 12 participating countries (P members), such as China, the United States, Russia, the United Kingdom, Canada, and India, and 24 observing countries (O members), including France, Germany, Japan, and the Czech Republic. ISO/TC 289 is structured with one Chairman's Advisory Group (CAG), three Working Groups (WG), and two Task Groups (TG), with Researcher Yang Zeshi serving as the convenor of the "Terminology and Definitions Working Group" (ISO/TC 289/TG 2). Due to his outstanding contributions in promoting the establishment of a China-specific brand value evaluation system, Researcher Yang Zeshi was recently honored with the "Outstanding Contributor" award by the China Council for Brand Development.
