The Guyana National Bureau of Standards (GNBS) joined Conformity Assessment and Accreditation Bodies across the Globe on Thursday, June 09, 2022, to observe World Accreditation Day (WAD). The occasion was commemorated under the theme “Accreditation: Sustainability in Economic Growth and the Environment.” The International Accreditation Forum (IAF) and International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (ILAC) jointly established WAD as a global initiative to raise awareness of the importance of accreditation-related activities.
Accreditation, being the highest level of impartial quality assessment of Conformity Assessment Bodies, such as testing, inspection and certification bodies, allows confidence in the results, findings, and decision-making.
According to the International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (ILAC) “This year’s theme, Accreditation: Sustainability in Economic Growth and the Environment, focuses on how accreditation supports the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 6, 7, 8, 9, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15.” ILAC underscores the positive impact of accreditation which is clearly aligned with the pillars of People, Prosperity, and Planet, and provides policymakers, businesses and other stakeholders with the solutions to implement, measure and monitor many of the objectives and targets contained in the SDGs, and the support to achieve them.
Meanwhile, according to the International Accreditation Forum (IAF), “The world economy relies heavily on natural resources provided by healthy ecosystems, and yet we continue to put these ecosystems through enormous stress and to consume resources at an alarming rate. Accreditation, alongside other quality infrastructure tools including metrology, standardization, conformity assessment and market surveillance, can support the shift to a circular economy and more sustainable forms of production.” The IAF suggested that the use of standards can help organizations adopt more eco-friendly practices, with accredited conformity assessment providing assurance that organizations are meeting requirements and fulfilling claims.
The GNBS has, over the years, spearheaded the National Committee for Conformity Assessment, which comprises of several Regulators, to push them towards becoming accredited providers of inspections and testing services. In addition, as the National Accreditation Focal Point, the Bureau continues to offer support in the form of technical assistance and training to both public and private institutions that are interested in vying for accreditation.
Currently, accredited laboratories in Guyana include the Guyana Rice Development Board Central Laboratory, Eureka Medical Laboratories Inc., the Government Analyst Food and Drug Department Laboratory, Woodlands Hospital Pathology Laboratory, and the Dr. Balwant Singh Hospital Laboratory. The GNBS Industrial Metrology Laboratory is also a proud addition to this Group of Accredited Labs providing accredited measurement calibration services to companies and laboratories across the various sectors.
On the occasion of World Accreditation Day 2022, the GNBS encourages more certified laboratories to climb to the level of accreditation which will allow global confidence in the test results they provide, particularly for industry, health and the environment.
For further information on this subject, call the GNBS on Telephone number: 219-0065 or 219-0066 or visit the Bureau’s website: www.gnbsgy.org
