Accreditation: supporting effective policy delivery The desire to deliver government policy in innovative and cost-effective ways is leading to the increasing use of accreditation across a wide range of Scottish Government policy areas including better regulation, good governance, fair markets and public confidence. Continuing pressure on public finances means that accreditation is seen as an effective market-led tool for delivering policy more efficiently. The accreditation process determines, in the public interest, the technical competence and integrity of organisations offering testing, inspection, calibration, verification and certification services (collectively known as conformity assessment). As the national accreditation body, UKAS is the only body recognised by Government to assess these types of organisations against internationally-recognised standards and it does so across all market sectors by offering a single, transparent and repeatable approach which: ● builds business and consumer confidence; ● is voluntarily embraced by business and other service providers; ● enables innovation in the private and public sectors; ● reduces the need for central and local government to employ its own specialist assessment personnel. If you are responsible for setting or delivering policies that involve any form of independent evaluation, UKAS can help in a number of ways including defining your needs or designing an assessment or accreditation service to suit your policy requirements. UKAS Chairman Lord Jamie Lindsay The influence and use of accreditation continues to grow. From humble beginnings, mainly in the technical and engineering sectors, there is increasing recognition that the rigour and discipline of the accreditation process can deliver benefits across a wide range of activities. From environmental management to forensic science, from diagnostic imaging services to fairground equipment inspection, and from food testing to asbestos surveying, accreditation is helping to provide confidence in the supply of goods and services and supporting the work of Government. As Chairman of UKAS, I strongly support the diversification of accreditation and the strengthening of its links with Government. I have personal experience of the special relevance accreditation has to certain aspects of the Scottish economy, such as food production and the environment, and I am particularly pleased that the value of accreditation is gaining wider recognition. This leaflet provides information and case studies on some of the many current uses of accreditation. Despite this progress, I am convinced that policy makers in Scotland could make greater use of accreditation in support of their regulatory activities. Wherever there is a need for inspection or testing, or indeed any type of evaluation process, to demonstrate that regulation or standards have been met, I would like to think that the use of accreditation is given serious consideration. I look forward to even closer working relations with the Scottish Government to achieve the high standards of goods and services that we all expect and deserve. There is a growing demand for quality produce both in Scotland and internationally. The quality of Scottish produce is a key element in ensuring Scotland has a sustainable and competitive agricultural sector. Membership of food quality assurance schemes not only safeguards the quality of Scottish produce but also provides reassurance to consumers that their food is being produced to the highest standards. Farmers and crofters who are members of one or more of the schemes are often also eligible for additional government support. UKAS accredits a number of certification bodies that certify producers under these farming and food production quality assurance schemes, such as Quality Meat Scotland, the Scottish Organic Producers Certification Scheme and Label Rouge Scottish Salmon. Accreditation by UKAS means that these certification bodies are competent to carry out their important role in ensuring that businesses, public sector bodies and individual consumers can have the independent assurance they require that their food has been produced to some of the world’s strictest standards. Lord Lindsay, Chairman of UKAS Accreditation in action: Food from farm to fork Accreditation Matters A BRIEFING FOR POLICY MAKERS IN SCOTLAND Ensuring the quality of food – UKAS accredits the certification of farm assurance schemes
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Accreditation: supporting effectivepolicy deliveryThe desire to deliver government policy in innovative andcost-effective ways is leading to the increasing use ofaccreditation across a wide range of Scottish Governmentpolicy areas including better regulation, good governance,fair markets and public confidence. Continuing pressureon public finances means that accreditation is seen as aneffective market-led tool for delivering policy more efficiently.
The accreditation process determines, in the public interest, thetechnical competence and integrity of organisations offering testing, inspection, calibration, verification and certification services(collectively known as conformity assessment).
As the national accreditation body, UKAS is the only body recognised by Government to assess these types of organisationsagainst internationally-recognised standards and it does so across allmarket sectors by offering a single, transparent and repeatableapproach which:
● builds business and consumer confidence;● is voluntarily embraced by business and other service providers;● enables innovation in the private and public sectors;● reduces the need for central and local government to employits own specialist assessment personnel.
If you are responsible for setting or delivering policies thatinvolve any form of independent evaluation, UKAS can helpin a number of ways including defining your needs ordesigning an assessment or accreditation service to suityour policy requirements.
UKAS Chairman Lord Jamie LindsayThe influence and use of accreditationcontinues to grow. From humble beginnings, mainly in the technical and engineering sectors, there is increasing recognition that the rigourand discipline of the accreditation process can deliver benefits acrossa wide range of activities. From environmental management toforensic science, from diagnostic imaging services to fairgroundequipment inspection, and from food testing to asbestos surveying,accreditation is helping to provide confidence in the supply of goodsand services and supporting the work of Government.
As Chairman of UKAS, I strongly support the diversification ofaccreditation and the strengthening of its links with Government. Ihave personal experience of the special relevance accreditation hasto certain aspects of the Scottish economy, such as food productionand the environment, and I am particularly pleased that the valueof accreditation is gaining wider recognition. This leaflet providesinformation and case studies on some of the many current uses ofaccreditation.
Despite this progress, I am convinced that policy makers in Scotlandcould make greater use of accreditation in support of their regulatoryactivities. Wherever there is a need for inspection or testing, orindeed any type of evaluation process, to demonstrate that regulationor standards have been met, I would like to think that the use ofaccreditation is given serious consideration. I look forward to evencloser working relations with the Scottish Government to achieve thehigh standards of goods and services that we all expect and deserve.
There is a growing demand for quality produce both in Scotland and internationally. The quality of Scottishproduce is a key element in ensuring Scotland has a sustainable and competitive agricultural sector.
Membership of food quality assurance schemes not only safeguards the quality of Scottish produce butalso provides reassurance to consumers that their food is being produced to the highest standards.Farmers and crofters who are members of one or more of the schemes are often also eligible foradditional government support.
UKAS accredits a number of certification bodies that certify producers under these farming and foodproduction quality assurance schemes, such as Quality Meat Scotland, the Scottish Organic ProducersCertification Scheme and Label Rouge Scottish Salmon.
Accreditation by UKAS means that these certification bodies are competent to carry out their importantrole in ensuring that businesses, public sector bodies and individual consumers can have the independentassurance they require that their food has been produced to some of the world’s strictest standards.
Lord Lindsay, Chairman of UKAS
Accreditation in action: Food from farm to fork
Accreditation MattersA BRIEFING FOR POLICY MAKERS IN SCOTLAND
Ensuring the quality of food – UKAS accredits thecertification of farm assurance schemes
As society makes greater efforts to reduce the environmental impact of the green-house gases it produces, tree planting has become increasingly popular as a meansof carbon offsetting. Woodlands have the potential to soak up CO2 from the atmosphere as well as provide a host of other benefits for society and biodiversity.
Whilst there has been an increase in those wishing to invest in tree planting projects,before doing so individuals and businesses want to be assured that the schemeswill actually deliver the carbon savings that are claimed.
The Forestry Commission Woodland Carbon Code (FCWCC) was set up to providethat reassurance. The voluntary code gives credibility to woodland planting schemesthat have carbon sequestration as their main purpose, and offers clarity and transparency to customers about the carbon savings that their contributions mayrealistically achieve.
The Code requires a verification process that starts with the validation of the initialproject plans and continues at intervals to ensure that the trees remain in situ, arebeing managed according to the project plans and the Code, and are likely to becapturing the amounts of carbon specified. The role of UKAS is to check that thosewho verify or validate these tree planting schemes under the FCWCC are themselvescompetent to do so under ISO 14065, the international standard for greenhousegas validation and verification bodies.
UKAS accreditation is an on-going business process to establishthat:
● the evaluator is impartial;
● the evaluator is technically competent;
● the resources and facilities are appropriate;
● the evaluator’s performance meets the required standard;
● the evaluator’s standard of performance can be sustained.
UKAS carries out this accreditation work to internationally-recognised standards and is itself regularly reviewed by its international peers.
Because UKAS has well-established and transparent assessmentprocedures applicable to all forms of conformity assessment, itsaccreditation helps:
● reduce bureaucracy—the use of accredited services in a sector moderates the need for legislation and reduces the risk of unintended consequences;
● enhance efficiency—business innovates to meet standards in efficient and cost-effective ways. Accreditationalso allows for a rapid response to new issues and prioritiesby swiftly adapting existing regimes according to circumstances;
● engender trust—the UKAS symbol is a well-known meansof identifying organisations that meet and maintain high standards. The public gain more confidence in services when they know standards are checked, updated and enforced.
Protecting public safety – UKAS accredits the inspection of fairground equipment
Carbon reduction – UKAS accredits the verification of tree plantingschemes for carbon sequestration
Accreditation in action: Woodland for carbon sequestration
Underpinning confidence in the justice system – UKAS accredits forensic sciencelaboratories
as well as:● proficiency testing providers ● reference material providers ● medical laboratories and healthcare services
In doing so, it enables these accredited organisations to provideservices and products that meet agreed standards, deliveringconfidence on the part of consumers, government and purchasers alike.
Removing barriers to trade – UKAS accredited testing ensures that Scottish productsare accepted worldwide
Look for the Crown
Accredited organisations are entitled to display symbols thatincorporate the Royal Crown, signifying Government recognitionof the accreditation process.
Making a difference to public sector delivery
Accreditation in action: Harnessing the sea’s energy
Helping secure future energy supplies – UKAS accredits testing of wave and tidalflow energy conversion systems
The quest to develop new energy sources has led to the developmentof numerous types of systems to extract energy from the wind, the seaand other renewable resources.
The first accreditation granted by UKAS for the testing of wave andtidal energy conversion systems was to a company that had developeda purpose-built performance testing facility in Stromness, Orkney.
The accredited company’s role is to show how much power is produced when it tests various wave and tidal energy devices in a widevariety of sea and weather conditions. This information is crucial todevelopers as they strive to turn prototype devices into income- generating, commercially available technology.
Those working for the company said that the process of gaining UKAS accreditation was extremely useful—helping them to clarify theirthinking and examine every aspect of how they run the business.
Safeguarding the environment – UKAS accredits the certification of environmentalmanagement systems
Establishing and maintaining confidence
Providing consumer confidence – UKAS accredits the certification of Green Deal advisors and installers
Ensuring confidence in what we eat – UKAS accredits food testing laboratories
UKAS Members
Rather than shareholders, UKAS has Members that representthose with an interest in different aspects of accreditation.UKAS Members are drawn from organisations that have a majorstakeholder interest in accreditation including those in publicoffice at national and local level, professional and membershipbodies, advocacy groups and other agencies, businesses andconsumers. Members perform an important role in the corporate governance of UKAS ensuring that, in all its activities,UKAS acts in the public interest.
Who to contact for furtherinformation
If you wish to find out more about how accreditation can helpyou deliver policy more efficiently, please contact:
