Ente Italiano di Normazione (UNI) Businesses have long understood that focusing on sustainability can be profitable and win over the trust of consumers, who are increasingly attentive to social and environmental issues. Ethical claims are an immediate and effective tool for reaching the market. Italy has taken a […]
Aparna DhawanAPAC CPC Chair The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 saw the world exploring options to use technology to continue working and communicating effectively with colleagues. The Asia Pacific Accreditation Cooperation (APAC) community was no exception and used virtual and online platforms to conduct international trainings, […]
Graham TalbotIndependent Consultant, SANAP Project The “Strengthening Accreditation Networks in Asia Pacific” (SANAP) project has been running for over five years to help the regional accreditation cooperation in Asia Pacific support its members from developing economies to shape an environmentally sustainable market economy. Now in its second phase, […]
IAF held its 2020 General Assembly (GA) virtually on 05 November with approximately 300 attendees. Topics of discussion included the ongoing challenge of COVID-19, the 2020-2025 Strategic Plan, the establishment of a single organization for accreditation with ILAC, the status of IAF CertSearch, and committee activities. Members welcomed […]
John C. Shideler, PhDPresident, Futurepast Inc. In December 2020, the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) published the 3rd edition of ISO 14065, a document that has been used since 2007 to establish and manage bodies performing validation and verification of greenhouse gas statements. ISO TC 207, the working […]
Laura Monserrat Balderas SánchezLiaison Coordinator, ema The entidad mexicana de acreditación, a.c. (ema), the Mexican accreditation body, has launched an initiative called ‘#APRENDemaS Thursdays’ with the aim of addressing issues of interest to clients and the general public, as well as promoting the importance of accreditation in daily […]
Merih Malmqvist NilssonINetQI chair 2018-2020Merih Quality Consulting AB My term as the International Network on Quality Infrastructure (INetQI) Chair has ended – a role that I thoroughly enjoyed. While I shall no longer be leading the efforts of this group, I shall continue to be involved in other […]
BRCGS Launches Upgrade of its Ethical Trading and Responsible Sourcing Standard Jon MurthyHead Of Global Marketing, BRCGS Buying behaviour has changed and the relationship between global brands and the customers who support them is being transformed by the rise of the conscientious consumer. COVID-19 has amplified this trend […]
Merih Malmqvist NilssonINetQI Chair It is a well-known fact that it is difficult for any organisation or person to find a central location for relevant, appropriate and verified information on how to achieve quality, safety and sustainability of products and services. Internet searches do not necessarily give the […]
Brahim HoulaIAF CMC ChairAccreditation Services Manager, GCC Accreditation Center (GAC) ‘Food safety, everyone’s business’ was the central theme of the Arab Accreditation and Food Safety Week (AAFSW) that took place between 06-10 June. Supported by the Arab Accreditation Cooperation (ARAC) and Arab Food Safety Initiative for Trade Facilitation […]
Wayne TerryChief Executive, Association of British Certification Bodies (ABCB) During the COVID-19 pandemic, we have seen a dramatic change in the way audits are delivered in order to maintain accreditation and certification and to keep supply chains operational. Necessity has required the significant adoption of remote auditing in […]
Marie-Claude QuentinSenior Technical Manager, GFSIThe Consumer Goods Forum During our annual food safety conference in Seattle in February 2020, the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) announced a bold new vision designed to shape what was termed ‘The Race to The Top’ (RTTT). This was in response to growing […]
Céline KauffmannHead of the SME and Entrepreneurship Division, OECD Over the past decades, the interconnectedness of countries and the integration of the world economy have increased drastically, in part due to the many technological revolutions of the last 30 years. The rapid flow of goods, services, people and […]
Francesca NizzeroExternal Relations Manager, Accredia The global COVID-19 outbreak imposes the need to accelerate the transition towards a model of sustainable development which, on a worldwide scale, involves all citizens and businesses. Government policies will have to take this on board, creating a favorable climate for private investment […]
Melissa ColeManaging Partner, Say Something Communications Inc. (SSC) SSC has been providing event management services to IAF and ILAC for over five years. Meetings and events have been a necessary part of the accreditation world since the beginning, and COVID-19 will not change that. Even during the pandemic, […]
Aparna DhawanAPAC CPC ChairJoint Director, NABCB Each year, June 9th marks celebrations for World Accreditation Day (WAD), a global initiative established by IAF and ILAC to promote the value of accreditation. The theme for this year focused on: “How accreditation improves food safety, supporting the confidence of consumers, […]
Amandine CombeCommunications and Marketing Manager, EA Each year, on June 9th, World Accreditation Day (WAD) takes place. This event is a great opportunity to widely promote accreditation, accredited conformity assessment and standards, and is celebrated in over 100 economies around the world. In the European co-operation for Accreditation (EA), […]
Xiao JianhuaIAF Chair We have experienced unprecedented challenges in the past few months due to COVID-19. I am, on behalf of IAF, wishing all members strength and health as we progress through the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. In response to COVID-19, IAF published a statement with a […]
Results from the World Bank Group Survey of QI Development Partners Bin Zhai, QI Specialist bzhai@ifc.org,Wafa’a M. Aranki, QI Global Lead waranki@ifc.org The Quality Infrastructure (QI) system comprises the organizations (public and private), policies, and relevant legal and regulatory frameworks and practices needed to support and enhance the […]
Aparna Dhawan APAC CPC Chair As societies cope with lockdowns and travel restrictions, it remains critical that products and services placed on the market continue to be safe. However, Accreditation Bodies (ABs) have an obligation to protect the health and safety of their assessors, their staff and their […]
Marcus Long IAF Conformity Assessment Bodies Advisory Committee Chair IIOC Chief Executive Lockdowns and travel restrictions resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic have necessitated more frequent use of remote auditing techniques. Certification Bodies (CBs) were well-prepared, as many had already established remote auditing protocols prior to the current crisis […]
IAF Outlook 