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
Accreditation: Building confidence in building inspection
Summary United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS) accreditation of a new building inspector competency scheme has helped building inspectors, many of whom are small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), meet updated legal requirements and forms an important part of continuous professional development. In addition to raising standards of technical competence throughout the industry, the accredited scheme […]
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Recent Case Study
Accreditation: Assuring security, ethics and human rights
Summary MSS Global, a UK small- and medium-sized enterprise (SME) established in 2011, is a United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS)-accredited certification body that specialises in providing assurance that private security companies (PSCs) and their supply chains have responsible and ethical management systems and apply those systems in practice. In a world where societal expectations around […]
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Recent Case Study
Effects of Product Certification on Importer Trade across Borders: The Case Study of the Philippines
Summary Product certification has been important, especially in developing countries to protect their consumers by providing quality and safe products and to protect the country from an import surge of products that may cause serious injury to local producers (Esteban, 2020). The study showed that time and cost during importation of electrical and electronics […]
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Recent Case Study
Improving the quality of water through accreditation of QC and testing water SWA laboratories
Summary Water sustainability is of utmost importance to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The Saudi Water Authority (SWA) is a Saudi Government Corporation responsible for producing desalinated seawater and supplying various regions in the Kingdom with desalinated water. More than 16 testing and Quality Control (QC) water testing laboratories are accredited by SAAC, providing […]
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Latest research
The Effect of Mutual Recognition Arrangements on Agricultural Exports of the Philippines: The Role of Laboratory Accreditation
Summary This study focuses on accrediting agricultural laboratories and examines how mutual recognition arrangements (MRAs) affect trade facilitation in the Philippines. It assesses how accredited laboratory factors affect bilateral trade flows, using a modified gravity model and panel data estimations. The results show that by supporting accredited laboratory services, and highlighting their importance in upholding […]
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Recent Case Study
Establishing the Central Role of Conformity Assessment in Digital Supply Chains
Summary As incentives increase for organisations to demonstrate the validity of claims regarding environmental/social/governance (ESG) attributes for products/services, so too will the incentives increase for falsifying such attributes. Based on initial work undertaken during 2021-22 by the Australian accreditation body, NATA, an international work program commenced mid-2022 under the auspices of the United Nations Centre […]
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Recent Case Study
Accreditation supporting the Ivorian Government’s project for the employability of young people based on Industry 4.0
Summary The “Employment 4Youth – Industry 4.0 to promote youth employment in Côte d’Ivoire” program was launched on November 11, 2022, in Abidjan. This project aims to offer new employment opportunities to young Ivorians by taking advantage of Industry 4.0. It is financed by the Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development of the Federal Republic […]
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Recent Case Study
Accreditation: Unlocking the Potential of Cassava to Promote Economic Development and Fight Hunger and Poverty
Summary The Nigeria National Accreditation System (NiNAS) collaborated with the Pan African Quality Infrastructure (PAQI) and the African Union to host the first African Cassava Conference in Abuja, Nigeria. The conference provided an opportunity for Africa to explore the potential of the cassava value chain in supporting the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by contributing to […]
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Recent Case Study
Improving Trust in the Construction Field
Summary Accreditation supports the structural construction system through the accreditation of construction testing labs and inspection bodies in the mechanical and construction sectors. Accreditation includes a range of examination, inspection and testing activities within the construction field, to provide authoritative assurance that the accreditation requirements are met. It also provides confidence in the technical competence […]
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Recent Case Study
Accreditation of Validation and Verification Supporting Net-zero Policies
Summary To support the net-zero emissions trend in the global economies, Taiwan Accreditation Foundation (TAF) is committed to providing accreditation services for validation and verification bodies (VVBs), and is dedicated to its development. This case study illustrates the development of accreditation services for VVBs in Chinese Taipei, in line with the implementation of international and […]