The IEC is a not-for-profit international organization responsible for the development of International Standards in the total electronic/electrical sector which ranges from microchips to power stations, including computing and telecommunications, and their related services. Its membership and affiliate country programme bring together a total of 132 countries and some 15 000 experts around the world work on its behalf. The IEC, as the sponsor of this initiative, will direct and coordinate the Centenary Challenge working closely with IET (formerly the IEE), IEEE, VDE and The Economist (see below).

The IET (formerly the IEE) is an innovative international organisation with a worldwide membership of 120,000. Its members, who have joined together to promote the advancement of electrical, electronic and manufacturing science, ICT and engineering, range from students to the most distinguished and highly qualified members of the profession. The IET will be promoting the IEC Centenary Challenge to its 120 000 members and will host the Awards Ceremony in London , UK , on 14 December 2006.

The IEEE has more than 360 000 members in approximately 174 countries. Through its members, the organization is a leading authority on areas ranging from aerospace, computers, and telecommunications to biomedicine, electric power, and consumer electronics, and has an extensive standards development programme. The IEEE, which has a highly developed academic activity and a worldwide network of professional members, is a founding partner of the IEC Centenary Challenge. It will promote the competition among its 360 000 members worldwide.

The VDE is one of the founding members of the IEC and continues to be the German standardization body which operates within IEC's technological scope. The VDE has more than 34 000 members. Engineers, scientists, students, technicians and companies in the electrical, electronic and information technology industries, the electrical utilities, federal authorities and institutions make up VDE. The not for profit organization combines scientific work, standards setting and product testing as well as certification under one roof. The VDE is sponsoring the IEC Centenary Challenge Commemorative Publication and will be promoting the initiative to its members.

The Economist is a weekly international news and business publication offering clear reporting, commentary and analysis on world politics, business, finance, science and technology. The Economist is famous for its objective, factual writing, rather than for emotive journalism. The Economist is read by a worldwide audience of three million decision-makers. They include board directors, financiers, administrators, opinion-formers and politicians, many of whom hold influential positions at the centre of decision-making in major international organisations. The Economist will be represented on the panel of judges for the nomination of the awards.