About
ISO describes conformity assessment as ‘a set of processes that show your product, service or system meets the requirements of a standard’. (Source: ISO website)
Conformity assessment has a range of strands, all of which contribute to giving people confidence and assurance in using and buying products and services. These strands include testing, inspection, certification and accreditation.
There are many instances around the world where the public sector has embraced conformity assessment as a means of delivering public policy objectives. This site illustrates this with a range of case studies which demonstrate:
- Government can improve its own performance by the use of conformity assessment by its own departments
- Government can help improve the performance of business by encouraging the use of conformity assessment
- Conformity assessment can help government deliver its policies
- Conformity assessment helps regulators regulate.
By showcasing the policy areas conformity assessment is used, such as economic development, healthcare and environmental protection, the intention is to provide inspiration so more conformity assessment tools can be used by central government, local government and regulators to deliver positive benefit.
This site has been developed by This site has been developed by the global quality infrastructure partners (INetQI) represented by:
- IAF – International Accreditation Forum. The IAF is the world association of Conformity Assessment Accreditation Bodies and other bodies interested in conformity assessment in the fields of management systems, products, services, personnel and other similar programmes of conformity assessment. Its primary function is to develop a single worldwide program of conformity assessment which reduces risk for business and its customers by assuring them that accredited certificates may be relied upon. Accreditation assures users of the competence and impartiality of the body accredited.
- IIOC – Independent International Organisation for Certification – is a trade association of international certification bodies who deliver certification to a range of management system schemes.
- IQNet – International Certification Network– is a trade association of certification bodies from around the world who deliver certification to a range of management system schemes.
- ILAC – International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation. ILAC is responsible for: the development of laboratory and inspection body accreditation practices and procedures; the promotion of laboratory and inspection body accreditation as a trade facilitation tool; the assistance of developing accreditation systems; the recognition of competent test and inspection facilities around the globe.
- ISO – International Organization for Standards – is an independent, non-governmental membership organization and the world’s largest developer of voluntary International Standards.
- BIPM – The International Bureau of Weights and Measures (BIPM) – an international organization established by the Metre Convention, through which Member States act together on matters related to measurement science and measurement standards.
- IEC – International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) – an international organization responsible for the preparation and publication of International Standards for all electrical, electronic and related technologies.
- ITC – International Trade Centre (ITC) – an international development agency that is dedicated to supporting the internationalization of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). It is a joint agency of the World Trade Organization and the United Nations.
- ITU – International Telecommunication Union (ITU) – an international agency for telecom/ICT of the United Nations, whose members include 193 Member States as well as some 900 companies, universities, and international and regional organizations. It allocates global radio spectrum and satellite orbits, develops the technical standards that ensure networks and technologies seamlessly interconnect, and strive to improve access to ICTs to underserved communities worldwide.
- OIML – International Organizations of Legal Metrology (OIML) – an intergovernmental organisation to promote the global harmonization of the legal metrology procedures that underpin and facilitate international trade.
- UNECE – United Nations Economic Cooperation for Europe (UNECE) – one of the five regional commissions under the jurisdiction of the United Nations Economic and Social Council. It was established in order to promote economic cooperation and integrations among its Member States.
- UNIDO – United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) – a specialized agency of the United Nations that promotes industrial development for poverty reduction, inclusive globalization and environmental sustainability.
- World Bank Group (WBG) – an international financial institution that provides loans and grants to the governments of poorer countries for the purpose of pursuing capital projects.
- WTO – World Trade Organization (WTO) – a global international organization dealing with the rules of trade between nations. At its heart are the WTO agreements, negotiated and signed by the bulk of the world’s trading nations and ratified in their parliaments.
We are always seeking examples to post on this website. If you have a great case study or research paper, please submit it to here.
Slideshow Items
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Recent Case Study
Accredited certification on cybersecurity, a must to provide services to Spanish Public Administration
Summary The Spanish Public Administration and any private operator aiming to provide services to a Spanish public body must hold a National Security Framework (Esquema Nacional de Seguridad, ENS) certificate, which must be issued by an accredited certifier according to ISO/IEC 17065 for the ENS scope, as established by the Spanish Ministry of Finance and […]
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Recent Case Study
IAF MLA contributes to the reliability of media content
Summary Certification of press media content according to the JOURNALISM TRUST INITIATIVE (JTI) standard is granted by certification bodies accredited by accreditation bodies. JTI’s preference is to rely on accreditation body signatories to the International Accreditation Forum Multilateral Recognition Arrangement (IAF MLA) for the main scope of ISO/IEC 17065 Conformity assessment – Requirements for bodies […]
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Recent Case Study
New Era of Smart Testing in Construction Industry
Summary Digitalisation and automated construction materials testing have brought many benefits to construction projects, especially when a large number of samples need to be tested manually. Automated systems have higher reliability, repeatability and precision, and can reduce the chance of human error, as well as make more efficient use of manpower resources. Implementing electronic […]
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Recent Case Study
Accreditation supporting the provision of solar energy in Jordan
Summary The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan is mostly dependent on oil, but this source of energy is non-renewable and also comes from the outer boundary of the kingdom. To protect the environment for future generations, the Kingdom’s goal is to use clean sources with less cost, but with the same efficiency. The use of solar […]
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Recent Case Study
Building National Trust by Ensuring Food Safety and Quality through Accredited Conformity Assessment Bodies
Summary In pursuit of its vision to transform India into a trans fat free nation, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), the regulatory body overseeing food safety & standards in the country, conducted a comprehensive nationwide survey to assess the prevalence of trans fat in different categories of food products. The FSSAI […]
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Recent Case Study
Accreditation: Supporting the Provision of Clean Water in Jordan
Summary Access to safe drinking water in Jordan is increasing over time, as the country works towards providing clean water to all Jordanian citizens. Jordan Accreditation System – Accreditation Unit (JAS-AU) accredits regulatory water and wastewater authorities testing labs in Jordan to support the provision of clean water by confirming that information used in […]
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Recent Case Study
Accreditation for the Efficient use of Water
Background At present, the extraction of national waters in the country faces a principal-agent problem caused by information asymmetries relating to the actual amount of water extracted by users. This situation leads to inefficiency in the use of water and, at times, to the under-declaration of volumes to the Mexican authorities. The national water program […]
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Recent Case Study
Accredited certification in Italy promoting accessibility in tourism and sports
Summary Ensuring that all users have access to tourist services, establishments, and sports facilities while preserving their autonomy and safety is an objective of sustainable social development. Accreditation can help achieve this goal. Background Promoting and facilitating accessibility for disabled people, who currently exceed 5% of the Italian population, is of fundamental importance for the […]
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Recent Case Study
Swedish Regulator rewards sites with BRCGS Certification
The Swedish Food Agency, Livsmedelsverket, is the competent authority responsible for the supervision and enforcement of food safety regulations. It works to ensure that food produced, sold and served in Sweden is safe and authentic. The Agency has introduced a new risk classification model for assessing how much public control a company in the food […]
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Recent Case Study
Digital accredited certification verification service builds confidence in global trade
Summary UKAS CertCheck digitally verifies the authenticity of United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS) accredited management systems certification. This free to use service enhances the supply chain management process and helps lower technical barriers to trade, both nationally and internationally. CertCheck offers those holding accredited certification a more convenient way to prove their credentials to a […]