Issued in France by Cofrac, accreditation is both the cornerstone and the first link in the chain of confidence.
When undergoing health checks, or when we consume a product or a service, we want to be sure of the competence of the bodies responsible for inspection. A Cofrac accreditation recognises and certifies the competences and impartiality of the inspection bodies, nationally and even internationally.
There are many bodies that propose conformity assessment services. Yet how can we distinguish those worthy of trust? Accreditation is a means of ensuring the technical competence and impartiality of an inspection body.
Reducing the risks
Around the world, markets and customers want assurance that the goods, materials or services that they produce or purchase meet their expectations and comply with the determined requirements. This often means that the items are inspected in accordance with a standard or a specification. For the manufacturer or the supplier, choosing an accredited body that is recognised as technically competent reduces, for example, the risks of a defective product.
Inspecting products and materials can prove costly and time-consuming. If the quality of this inspection is not up to scratch, the consequences can be costly. Beyond the need for a new inspection, by not meeting the requirements or expectations of the customer, it is likely that you might expect a recall of the goods, legal action and reimbursement of the product. This may also strongly tarnish the reputation of both supplier and manufacturer. The choice of a technically-competent body minimises the risks of being forced to repeat these inspections.
Confidence in a product is reinforced if customers know that it has been scrupulously assessed by an independent and competent body. This is particularly true when a supplier can demonstrate that the inspection body has itself been assessed by a third party. More and more customers look for proof to judge the conformity of a product or service.
Thanks to the multilateral recognition arrangements (MRAs) to which Cofrac is signatory, the accredited bodies benefit from international recognition. Their reports are therefore more easily accepted in other countries. This recognition enables costs to be reduced for manufacturers and exporters, and partially or completely frees them from the need to carry out a new inspection in the importing countries.
