Emanuele Riva
IAF Chair

As IAF Chair, it is both an honour and an emotional moment to share these final reflections. As we conclude IAF’s journey and transition toward a new future under the Global Accreditation Cooperation Incorporated, I am reminded of the dedication and vision that have defined our community for over 30 years. In this last message, I would like to highlight what IAF has achieved and what we will carry forward together.

A Proven Driver of Global Economic Growth

Reflecting on IAF’s legacy, it is remarkable to see how far our community has come and the tangible value created for economies and businesses worldwide. The recently published, peer-reviewed study “The Economic Effects of the Quality Infrastructure” (Blind, Neuhausler & Schubert, 2025, Technology in Society, Elsevier) provides clear, scientific confirmation of what the accreditation community has long known: IAF and the broader Quality Infrastructure (QI) are vital engines of economic prosperity and sustainable development.

Scientific Evidence of Impact

The study – the first comprehensive econometric analysis of the entire QI across Europe – quantifies how standards, conformity assessment, accreditation, metrology, and market surveillance together contribute to national economies. Using data from 30 European countries over three decades, the authors demonstrate that these pillars of QI have a direct and measurable impact on GDP.

Among the findings, participation in IAF stands out as a significant positive factor in national economic performance. Countries with IAF Multilateral Recognition Arrangement (MLA) signatories showed markedly higher GDP levels, confirming that internationally trusted accreditation strengthens both market confidence and economic resilience.

According to the study’s estimates, the absence of accredited conformity assessment would lead to a GDP loss of up to 9%, underscoring the macroeconomic value of IAF’s global network of trust and recognition. As the authors conclude, “Participation in the International Accreditation Forum plays a substantial role for a country’s GDP” – a statement that affirms IAF’s enduring relevance and impact.

Quality Infrastructure as a Growth Engine

Beyond accreditation, the research highlights the combined contribution of all QI elements – standards, certification, and market surveillance – which together account for an estimated 7–8% of GDP across advanced economies.

This makes the quality infrastructure not merely a technical framework, but a cornerstone of modern economic systems. Standards foster innovation and interoperability; conformity assessment builds confidence in products and services; and accreditation – embodied by IAF – ensures the global reliability of these systems.

A Legacy of Trust, a Future of Global Cooperation

For over three decades, IAF has led the way in building a worldwide system of mutual trust – one that allows certificates and accreditations to cross borders as easily as goods and services. The new study now provides rigorous evidence that this trust has tangible economic value, not only for industries and consumers but for societies as a whole.

As we close this final chapter of IAF’s history, and look forward to the dawn of the Global Accreditation Cooperation Incorporated, the message is clear: IAF’s vision works. Accreditation, built on cooperation and credibility, delivers measurable benefits for economies, businesses, and citizens alike.

The global community that IAF nurtured will continue to evolve, carrying forward its mission under a new name – but with the same unwavering purpose: to ensure that trust remains the foundation of global trade, innovation, and growth.

To serve as IAF Chair during this historic period has been an honour, and I leave with gratitude for the past, confidence in the future and pride in all we have accomplished together.