Code Council Global Services Vice President Drew Azzara presented a webinar on July 18 to a number of Standards Development Organizations (SDOs) addressing ICC's advancements into the global marketplace. It was made clear that the rationale for ICC to engage in the global community has been driven by customer needs and the organization's mission to protect the health, safety and welfare of people by creating safe buildings and communities.

The concept is exporting building safety to those various jurisdictions outside the United States. Once these marketplace needs are identified they are coupled with technical information such as codes, standards and conformance program services that are essential to solving these needed building regulatory safety requirements.

Information was further provided on ICC's strategic, business and humanitarian vision. This vision ties in the many referenced standards that are found as references in the International Codes, and thus connect ICC with mutual goals within the SDO community in meeting those needs. Highlights were provided as to the specific countries that ICC is currently engaged.

Global customers continue to look for technical solutions as building construction, particularly within cities in many parts of the world, has been driven by the migration of people to these urban environments seeking opportunities. This unprecedented migration has never been greater, which is all the more reason why the needs and requirements for building safety throughout the world has never been more important or needed.

The solutions that ICC provides for its global customers along with the SDO's referenced standards are in many cases a collective solution for building safety. The most severe global recession over the past few years has not diminished the need for these services and ICC has experienced a gain within the global market during this time. This growth trend is expected to continue along with standards needs throughout the world in the coming years. ICC looks toward continuing to work cooperatively with these initiatives along with the SDO community.