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 the global quality infrastructure partners (INetQI) represented by:
- Global ACI – Global Accreditation Cooperation Incorporated – is the international authority on the accreditation of laboratories, certification bodies, inspection bodies, proficiency testing providers, validation/verification bodies, reference material producers and biobanks. Global ACI operates a Multilateral Recognition Arrangement (MRA) among its accreditation body members to facilitate the international acceptance of accredited conformity assessment results and reduce technical barriers to trade.
- 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.
- 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 management system certification for gender equality
Summary Italy has turned accredited certification for Gender Equality Management Systems into a practical lever for innovation, trust and sustainability and a concrete contribution to UN Sustainable Development Goal 5 (Gender Equality). In 2022, Accredia, the Italian Accreditation Body, introduced a dedicated scheme based on UNI/PdR 125:2022, where organisations are verified and assessed against […]
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Recent Case Study
Accreditation supporting the rubber industry in Thailand
Summary The Bureau of Laboratory Accreditation, Department of Science Service (BLA-DSS) is an accreditation body of Thailand. It aims to provide accreditation services supporting industrial sectors across Thailand, such as the rubber industry. Thailand block rubber exports are a fast-growing industry, generating over USD 3 billion in 2025. Accreditation of rubber testing laboratories in […]
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Recent Case Study
Together with EMA to mitigate climate change
Summary This case study describes how Entidad Mexicana de Acreditación (ema) promotes sustainability goals through the “Together with ema to Mitigate Climate Change” program, which brings together business chambers and conformity assessment bodies. It also highlights the collaboration with the Federal Attorney for Environmental Protection (PROFEPA), Mexico’s environmental enforcement authority responsible for ensuring compliance […]
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Recent Case Study
Accreditation empowers urban green energy initiatives
Summary China National Accreditation Service for Conformity Assessment (CNAS) accreditation validated the charging pile testing capabilities of a Guangdong-based enterprise, offering technical support for ensuring efficient compatibility between urban charging infrastructure and renewable energy sources (e.g., solar, wind) as well as safe equipment operation. As of 2025, Guangzhou’s annual electric vehicle (EV) charging volume […]
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Recent Case Study
Accreditation empowers the “Top Runner” PV Program
Summary A Jiangsu-based enterprise obtained China National Accreditation Service for Conformity Assessment (CNAS) accreditation for its testing capabilities in high/low temperature and vibration, providing reliability assurance for the research and development (R&D) of its new-generation photovoltaic (PV)-storage products. This has contributed to cumulative carbon emission reductions exceeding 500,000 tons in projects such as the […]
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Recent Case Study
Accreditation enhances third-party testing efficiency
Summary By fully implementing China National Accreditation Service for Conformity Assessment (CNAS) laboratory management systems, a Sichuan-based enterprise achieved standardised operations. Product retesting rates dropped from 8.4% to 3.2%, reagent utilisation rose from 55% to 73%, and annual testing volume grew by 38% over three years. Background To promote the specialised, refined, distinctive, and […]
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Recent Case Study
Accreditation empowers the development of “zero-carbon villages”
Summary In support of green development, a Beijing-based enterprise has innovatively established and implemented a zero-carbon certification and evaluation system, building upon the technical foundation of accredited greenhouse gas (GHG) validation and verification mechanisms. This initiative has contributed to the creation of Hainan Province’s first “zero-carbon village” in Maona Village, Shuiman Township, Wuzhishan City, […]
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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 […]