UKAS
The United Kingdom Accreditation Service is the sole national accreditation body recognised by government to assess, against internationally agreed standards, organisations that provide certification, testing, inspection and calibration services.
Accreditation by UKAS demonstrates the competence, impartiality and performance capability of these evaluators.
UKAS is a non-profit-distributing private company, limited by guarantee. UKAS is independent of Government but is appointed as the national accreditation body by the Accreditation Regulations 2009 (SI No 3155/2009) and operates under a Memorandum of Understanding with the Government through the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills.
We all want to have confidence in the goods and services that we use. Trust is essential whether in the high street, the supermarket or buying as a business. We also want to have reliable public services. But how can there be confidence in the market? How can we be sure of essential standards in the public sector?
Trade is now global. We can order, purchase and receive goods faster and from a wider range of sources than ever before. Suppliers are finding that customers are more demanding, while consumers seek assurances that products and services match the claims made about them.
There is a means of building trust in the market place and in public services:
Accreditation by the United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS) is the key to ensuring that consumers, suppliers, purchasers and specifiers can have confidence in the quality of goods and in the provision of services throughout the supply chain.