Accreditation has several practical applications of an increasingly wide range of activities across all sectors of the economy, from food to forensics, construction to environment.

For businesses

Accurate calibration, measurement and testing, performed in accordance with best practice, help limit errors and product failure, improve control of production costs and contribute to an innovative environment.

Accreditation is an independent demonstration of your technical competence to customers.

When they obtain certification of their management system, products or services by an accredited body, companies continually improve their performance by using a recognised tool for decision-making, risk management and supplier selection. Thus, they enjoy a competitive advantage in terms of reputation and credibility, both on the B2B and consumer markets and also have an extra marketing tool.

• Reducing controls

Accredited certification conveys presumption of conformity with official standards and regulations. This means that businesses do not need to provide additional evidence, and their activities are simplified subsequent to reduction or elimination of controls.

• Supporting export

The international recognition of conformity assessment reports covered by accreditation boosts business expansion on foreign markets without the need to carry out additional verifications.

For regulators

Testing, examination, verification, inspection, calibration and certification can be used for better control and regulation.

The services provided by accredited bodies, either used directly by regulators and governments or as a tool reference in rules and regulations, demonstrate effectiveness in:

• supporting implementation of the European or national legislation, providing a “stamp of approval” to confirm compliance with standards and widely accepted requirements
• qualifying suppliers of goods and services, especially on the procurement market
• enhancing trade and economic growth, providing governments with reliable data
• reducing bureaucracy by eliminating a number of administrative obligations
• limiting costs and resources, by reducing the need for regulators to employ their specialized assessment personnel and by avoiding duplication of audits
• simplifying the procurement process by ensuring confidence as a decision-making tool

For consumers

• Creating trust

Increasingly consumers rely on independent evidence, rather than simply believing in suppliers’ advertisements. Consumers’ confidence on the market is enhanced when they know that the products and services they choose are regularly evaluated and checked by an independent and competent third party. Choosing a product based on its certification mark, consumers can be sure of the quality of what they are buying.

At the other end of the supply chain, consumers’ interest is protected by national accreditation bodies acting as “checkers of checkers”.