When ISO leaders announced the signing of the London Declaration at the recent General Assembly, it wasn’t the first nor the last organization to commit to change or actions that contribute to net-zero carbon emissions and commitments such as the Paris Agreement and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Yet the difference is that ISO’s declaration – which is to ensure ISO standards accelerate the achievement of such commitments – is one that can underpin them all.
IAF’s Technical Committee (TC) held its annual meeting on 26 October 2021. The TC, which meets twice yearly, is responsible for developing and maintaining IAF documents on the application of standards to ensure their consistent application; monitoring the development of standards and other relevant material outside IAF; and making recommendations concerning the practical application of IAF documents, including issues arising from the implementation of the IAF Multilateral Recognition Arrangement.
WAD 2021 Poster Contest results For World Accreditation Day 2021: Supporting the Implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals, IAF and ILAC held a contest to produce the official poster to be used for celebrations. Out of twenty-eight submissions, ten designs were shortlisted, and three were chosen by the […]
The Southern African Development Community Cooperation in Accreditation (SADCA) has published its 4th strategic plan, which covers the period 2022 to 2026.
IAF’s three Advisory Committees, the Accreditation Body Information Group (ABIEG), User Advisory Committee (UAC) and Conformity Assessment Body Advisory Committee (CABAC), all held meetings during IAF and ILAC’s 2021 annual meetings period from September – November. These committees act as a valuable means for specific categories of IAF […]
The world is undergoing rapid digitalization, a process driven in recent years by the COVID-19 pandemic. While IAF Members have adapted by increasing the use of information and communications technology in accreditation and accredited conformity assessment activities, IAF has transitioned to conducting committee work and meetings remotely. In […]
Accreditation: Supporting the Implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals Marcus LongChair, IAF Conformity Assessment Bodies Advisory CommitteeCEO, Independent International Organisation for Certification (IIOC) The 2021 World Accreditation Day (WAD) focuses on the theme of how accreditation supports the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). As the 14th WAD, […]
Nigel CroftChair, ISO Joint Technical Coordination Group for Management System StandardsISO/TC176 Liaison to IAF Dick HortensiusNEN (Dutch National Standards Body) – Secretary of the JTCG The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) recently undertook a limited revision of “Annex SL” of the ISO Supplement to the ISO/IEC Directives, which […]
SecretariatEuropean Co-operation for Accreditation (EA) ENFSI, the European Network of Forensic Science, is aiming with its AFORE project (Accreditation of Forensic Laboratories in Europe) to support forensic science laboratories across the European Union Member States to move towards accreditation or expand the scope of their accreditation. Part of the AFORE […]
Shivani MathurAccreditation OfficerNational Accreditation Board for Certification Bodies (NABCB) The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted industries around the world. The dynamics upon which various industries used to operate are set to change significantly. Due to the crisis, there is a need to encourage organizations to deploy new systems. Asset […]
Cynthia WoodleyChief Operations Officer and PsychometricianProfessional Testing, Inc. Many of us have responded to the COVID-19 pandemic by changing how we operate our businesses and organizations, including by implementing remote work policies and technologies that will have an enduring effect on our practices. Almost every aspect of our […]
Mika VepsäläinenChief, Market Access Section, Economic Cooperation and Trade DivisionUnited Nations Economic Commission for Europe Fifty years ago, the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) initiated a series of “Meetings of Government Officials Responsible for Standardization Policies”. The anniversary of these meetings was celebrated in circumstances that […]
IAF Outlook 