Certification means that a competent independent party states that someone or something meets certain specified requirements. Certification is often divided into the categories of management systems, products and persons.
Certification of management systems for quality and environment is the largest area. Today, there are also management systems for other areas, such as occupational health and safety and information security.
The certificate, issued by a certification body, shows that you have a complete and effective management system - an important message to both clients and staff. Within most areas the certification can be carried out by accredited certification bodies - which means that the certificate has more credibility and is valid also in other countries.
These management systems provide a good structure for managing the business and create confidence among customers and other stakeholders. This makes it worthwhile to establish management systems, not least financially. They are also a tool for continuous improvement.
In the area of product certification there are both voluntary and mandatory systems. Within the EU, CE marking is a requirement for products covered by various directives. Different types of environmental certifications are becoming more common.
The area of certification of persons entails a great potential as the requirements for competence rise. A major new area in Sweden, due to the deregulation of vehicle inspection, is the certification of inspection technicians.
To implement a certification is an extensive and long-term work. The value of the certificate depends ultimately on the credibility of the certifier. That is why you should choose an accredited certification body.
For more information, please contact:
Peter Kronvall, Head of Division
Lars Waldner, Technical Handler
Updated/Reviewed: 2011-03-04 13:46
+ 46 33 17 77 00
