World Accreditation Day 2022 puts spotlight on sustainability

The initiative was established by the International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (ILAC) and the International Accreditation Forum (IAF), and this year's theme focuses on how accreditation supports the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 6, 7, 8, 9, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15.

Without regulation and accredited certification, the green agenda will descend into a ‘wild west’ of green washing.

Vince Desmond

The Chief Executive of the United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS), Matt Gantley, commented: “World Accreditation Day is an important annual event, bringing together the global accreditation family to raise awareness of the value and importance of our work. 

“UKAS already supports UK government and our national markets to reach their net zero targets in diverse ways, from emissions monitoring and trading schemes to the measurement and sequestration of carbon, and we see significant opportunity for our community to form part of the global solution to the climate emergency. Accredited conformity assessment, based on internationally agreed benchmarks, can deliver confidence and trust in net zero claims for consumers and supply chains.” 

Vince Desmond, CEO at the CQI, believes accreditation is the key to achieving targets of sustainability. He commented: “Society needs confidence that bold environmental and social policies adopted by organisations translate into meaningful action and performance improvement.  Global standards and accredited conformity assessment are ready-made tools for stakeholders to gain this confidence and for organisations to effectively deliver on their intent.  

“Without regulation and accredited certification, the green agenda will descend into a ‘wild west’ of green washing.”