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 […]
SecretariatArab Accreditation Cooperation (ARAC) New ARAC Associate Member: Somalia Significant growth in the Arab Accreditation Cooperation (ARAC) membership has been achieved with the acceptance of the Quality Department of the Ministry of Public Works, Housing and Reconstruction in Federal Republic of Somalia as an ARAC Associate member. This […]
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 […]
SecretariatEuropean Co-operation for Accreditation (EA) CETA is the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement designed to strengthen economic relations and develop business between the European Union (EU) and Canada. It includes a Protocol on the Mutual Acceptance of the Results of Conformity Assessment. This Protocol establishes the mutual recognition […]
Alan WebbDevelopment Project ManagerUnited Kingdom Accreditation Service ISO 44001:2017 Collaborative Business Relationship Management Systems provides requirements for the establishment and control of collaborative business relationships utilising a formalised and measurable process for joint working. Industry recognises the advantage of shared objectives and resources to reduce liability and competition […]
The urgency of a productivity boost for Italian companies requires tools such as management systems that are certified by accredited certification bodies (CBs), which help small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to position themselves along global value chains and increase their efficiency. Francesca NizzeroExternal Relations ManagerL’Ente Italiano di Accreditamento […]
IAF and ILAC held a series of virtual committee meetings from 15 April to 12 May 2021 in place of the in-person IAF and ILAC Joint Mid-term Meetings scheduled for April 2021. These meetings were held with the support of Say Something Communications, a conference and event management […]
Aparna DhawanChair, Communications and Promotion CommitteeAsia Pacific Accreditation Cooperation (APAC) The medical device industry is expanding globally, including in the Asia Pacific region, generating a demand for high-quality and safe products. Conformity assessment and accreditation are key building blocks of a country’s quality infrastructure. Conformity assessment connects requirements […]
All quality infrastructure (QI) organizations, whether global, regional or national, seek and publish information that demonstrates the benefits and economic impact of their services. The International Network of Quality Infrastructure (INetQI) Public Sector Assurance and Business Benefits websites serve as a central hub for case studies, research and […]
Each year on June 9th, IAF, ILAC, their members and partners, and other organizations in the field of conformity assessment celebrate World Accreditation Day (WAD) to acknowledge the contributions of accreditation to societal well-being. The theme of WAD 2021 will be Accreditation: Supporting the Implementation of the Sustainable […]
Amandine CombeCommunications and Marketing Manager, EA In 2020, we were all forced to develop new tools, many of which will become permanent solutions for the European co-operation for Accreditation (EA) community to deliver sustainable professional services: online meetings, workshops and training sessions; electronic ballots; forum discussions; and virtual […]
George AnastasopoulosIPC Secretary Online examination systems are becoming increasingly popular and widespread. Many educational institutes, examination centers and certification bodies of persons are replacing their traditional examination methods with online testing technologies. The COVID-19 pandemic has increased the need for such credible online examination systems and verification processes. […]
IAF Outlook 