Cotecna provides Accreditation Body set-up services to governments. Accreditation Bodies enable nation states to enhance the quality of their products and services through accrediting laboratories, inspection service providers and certification bodies. This helps governments to facilitate trade, improve national competencies, raise the culture of quality assurance and provide international trade credibility. Accreditation also helps minimize WTO Technical Barriers to Trade.

Accreditation Body set-up service

Cotecna’s Accreditation Body set-up service encompasses well-defined areas of knowledge-transfer and training. Cotecna:

• induct key senior representatives on issues, benefits and standards requirements;
• identify the Accreditation Body (AB) mission, objectives, resources, and staff;
• train and coach key staff and committees;
• conduct gap analysis and assess the steps to be taken to drive pragmatic ISO/IEC17011 system set-up towards complete and successful hand-over;
• develop (turnkey) or co-develop (coaching) manuals, procedures, guidance documents;
• analyse mandatory laboratory safety standards, in line with national and international requirements;
• perform trial audits at laboratories, inspection service providers and certification bodies against ISO/IEC17000 family of standards; and
• help prepare for international recognition with relevant bodies.