In today’s evolving world, our human service systems as well as our technological systems need to be accountable for providing high-quality services. As such, this year’s theme for World Accreditation Day is Accreditation: Empowering Tomorrow and Shaping the Future, which focuses on the role accreditation and accredited conformity assessment play in our everchanging world especially as new technology reshapes society. In industries and supply chains where innovative technologies need to be integrated, accreditation services are critical. ANAB offers a wide range of accreditation services to support digitalization and sustainability in the everchanging world.
What Is World Accreditation Day?
World Accreditation Day occurs annually on June 9th and is a global celebration between the International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (ILAC) and the International Accreditation Forum (IAF)—as well as its members, partners, stakeholders, and other organizations—to promote the value of accreditation.
Why Is Accreditation Valuable?
According to ISO/IEC 17011, accreditation means “third-party attestation related to conformity assessment body conveying formal demonstration of its competence to carry out specific assessment tasks.” Since accreditation assures that those who carry out conformity assessment activities like testing, certification, validation and verification, and inspection are competent to do so, it makes a significant contribution to the economy, health, safety, and environment.
Accredited service demonstrates meeting or exceeding international standards or other benchmarks for quality and safety. Hence, accreditation is valuable because it provides confidence in goods, services, management systems, and professionals.
Accreditation: Empowering Tomorrow and Shaping the Future
Each year a different theme is explored and 2024’s theme for World Accreditation Day is Accreditation: Empowering Tomorrow and Shaping the Future. This focuses on how accreditation can help shape various aspects of life in our changing world, particularly with the impact (both positive and negative) of emerging technology that has become impossible to avoid in 2024 and years to come.
Emerging technology encompasses advancements in artificial intelligence as well as growing cyber security and privacy concerns. Other concerns include how these new technologies will impact the environment and human rights. As such, accreditation and accredited conformity assessment are paramount to assuring quality infrastructure is in place.
ANAB’s Role in World Accreditation Day 2024
World Accreditation Day highlights the role of accredited Conformity Assessment bodies and raises the importance of accreditation in various sectors like cloud/cybersecurity, trade, sustainability, artificial intelligence, and the environment. Accreditation of a conformity assessment body signifies that its systems and processes are under regular oversight to be competent, effective, accountable, and improvement oriented.
For example, accreditation to ISO/IEC 27001 for Information Security Management Systems, Personnel Under ISO/IEC 17024, ISO 14001 Environmental management Systems, or to ISO/IEC 42001 for Artificial Intelligence Management Systems shows that a program, institution, organization, or personnel meets these established international quality standards. By adhering to the requirements set out in internationally recognized standards confirmed through the activities of accredited Conformity Assessment Bodies, organizations can be confident that they are demonstrating best practice in terms of competence, and that they are acting in the best interests of public safety.
With more than 4,000 accredited organizations in over 80 countries, the ANSI National Accreditation Board (ANAB) is a trusted global accreditation body: a governing authority (either government owned or under agreement with government) that establishes the suitability of a certification body in that country. ANAB’s portfolio includes a vast range of accreditation programs, standards and training, enabling us to have a pivotal role in this year’s theme Accreditation: Empowering Tomorrow and Shaping the Future. Although as an accreditation body, we by nature celebrate accreditation every day, we encourage you to join the celebration with us and others on June 9th: World Accreditation Day.