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BAB’s Efforts to Strengthen Bangladesh’s Quality Systems and Global Trade
The Bangladesh Accreditation Board (BAB) is the only national accreditation body mandated by law, to provide accreditation services to different conformity assessment bodies (CABs) operating in the country. Since its establishment, BAB has been playing a key role in improving national quality systems, building trust in local conformity assessment services, and helping local products and services gain acceptance in global markets. This shows BAB’s strong focus on quality, innovation, teamwork and supporting the country’s long-term economic growth.
To encourage and promote BAB accreditation, BAB builds partnerships with regulators, industries, universities, and international organisations. To improve product/service quality, ensure safety, and build trust in conformity assessment activities, BAB has launched a series of initiatives such as training programs for CABs and regulators to upgrade their skills, public awareness campaigns to explain how accreditation protects consumers, and how Mutual Recognition Arrangements ensure global acceptance of results from BAB-accredited CABs and boosts trade.
In 2024-2025, BAB trained 207 technical personnel from local CABs, universities, and government agencies, hosting six training sessions on different international standards and technical topics. These programs helped participants stay updated with global best practices and customers’ requirements. BAB is also working to sign three MoUs with regional and international development partners and peer organisations by the 2025-2026 financial year, to develop the capacity of accreditation schemes and improve institutional capacity supporting cross-border trade in agricultural and food products.
BAB works tirelessly to create a culture of quality and trust in CABs serving in the healthcare, environment and export sectors, to ensure their competency to generate reliable and technically valid testing results. BAB also works to expand its facilities to the divisional level, to make its service more people-oriented and easily accessible. BAB has been successful in bringing public laboratories of the country under its accreditation schemes. Some of the key BAB-accredited public laboratories include: Testing Laboratories & National Metrology Laboratory (Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institute), Analytical Chemistry Laboratory (Bangladesh Atomic Energy Center), National Control Laboratory (Drug Administration), Quality Control Laboratories ( Department of Livestock Services and Department of Fisheries), National Food Safety Laboratory (Institute of Public Health), Plant Disease Diagnostic Laboratory & Pesticide Analytical Laboratory (BARI), Institute of Technology Transfer and Innovation, Leather Research Institute Laboratory, Institute of National Analytical Research and Services (BCSIR) Textile Testing and Consultation Services (Bangladesh University of Textiles (BUTEX). Dhaka Laboratory, Department of Environment. These laboratories play a vital role in monitoring the quality of products and services and ensuring compliance with regulatory and customer requirements.
BAB actively works with regional and global partners to facilitate regional and international cooperation in accreditation. On 26 February 2025, Dr. Shahzad Afzal, Director General of the South Asian Regional Standards Organization (SARSO) met BAB’s Director General, Mr. Md. Anwarul Alam at BAB’s head office. They emphasised stronger collaboration among SAARC countries in setting common standards and strengthening strong regional cooperation in accreditation.
As Bangladesh works towards its development goals, BAB remains central for promoting the “Made in Bangladesh” campaign by ensuring quality, reliability, and global trust of its products and paving the way for their global acceptance. It is expected that BAB will continue this progress and further accelerate the country’s quality movement.
According to the International Labor Organization (ILO) [1], in the West African Economic and Monetary Union (UEMOA) countries, a unit increase in public health expenditure increases long-term Gross National Income growth by about one percentage point. However, according to the Central Bank of West African States (BCEAO), Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) represent, depending on the UEMOA member states, between 80% and 95% of the companies surveyed [2]. Based on this observation, investing in health, particularly the fight against diseases, could be crucial to support economic development in UEMOA member states. This article highlights the role of accreditation in the fight against two major infectious diseases in the world, particularly in Africa, namely tuberculosis and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS).
Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease caused by a mycobacterium, the Koch bacillus, which most commonly affects the lungs but can also affect other organs. According to the World Health Organization (WHO) [3], 1.25 million people died from tuberculosis in 2023. An estimated 10.8 million people contracted tuberculosis worldwide in 2023. TB is present in all countries and age groups. However, it is a preventable and treatable disease. Multidrug-resistant tuberculosis continues to cause a public health crisis and remains a threat to health security. Ending the tuberculosis epidemic by 2030 is one of the health-related targets of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
AIDS is an infectious disease caused by human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). HIV weakens the immune system, making the individual vulnerable to other infections. HIV is a sexually transmitted infection. Research has identified drugs to combat the virus, discovered in 1983. It is important to note the importance of prevention and early diagnosis. According to the WHO [4], HIV remains a major public health problem worldwide, resulting in 40.4 million deaths to date, and continues to be transmitted in every country worldwide. An estimated 39.0 million people were living with HIV at the end of 2022, more than two-thirds of them in Africa. In 2022, 630,000 people died from HIV-related causes and 1.3 million acquired HIV. There is no cure for HIV infection. However, HIV has become a chronic condition that can be managed, with the potential for long and healthy lives. Ending HIV by 2030 is among the health-related targets of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
The West African Accreditation System (SOAC WAAS) is the accreditation body for UEMOA member states [5]. As part of its policy to support the health policies of its member states, SOAC WAAS has developed a specific accreditation scheme for the medical sector. With a rate of 21%, this sector is second to have the largest number of conformity assessment bodies accredited by SOAC WAAS. These are laboratories accredited according to the ISO 15189 standard. It should be noted that SOAC WAAS ISO 15189 accreditation scheme is covered by the International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (ILAC) mutual recognition agreements since 2022. Laboratories accredited for HIV and tuberculosis testing represent 74% of the total, with 26% for tuberculosis and 46% for HIV respectively. These results were made possible thanks to the strong involvement of international cooperation. Thus, accreditations in the field of HIV were obtained with the support of United States of America (USA) cooperation, while those in the field of tuberculosis mobilized various partners such as the Global Fund, under the coordination of the Supranational Laboratory for Tuberculosis in Benin (SRL-Cotonou). The intervention of SRL-Cotonou and its network of partners has enabled tuberculosis testing laboratories located outside UEMOA to benefit from SOAC accreditation, particularly in Cameroon and Gabon.
Thus, the UEMOA countries’ accreditation system, supported by SOAC WAAS, participates to meet the expectations of member states in terms of public health. However, the risks of reduced international cooperation in health, partly driven by the vision of the new USA authorities, should encourage all stakeholders to find other ways to maintain the results achieved in the fight against infectious diseases in Africa such as tuberculosis and AIDS. In doing so, economic development in UEMOA member states, primarily driven by SMEs, would not be compromised.
[1]https://www.ilo.org/sites/default/files/wcmsp5/groups/public/%40ed_dialogue/%40sector/documents/publication/wcms_892131.pdf
[2]https://www.bceao.int/fr/content/presentation-du-dispositif-de-soutien-au-financement-des-pmepmi
[3]https://www.who.int/en/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/tuberculosis
[4]https://www.who.int/en/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/hiv-aids
[5]The member states of UEMOA are Benin, Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast, Guinea Bissau, Mali, Niger, Senegal and Togo.
For several years, the National Quality Subsystem (grouping of quality infrastructure entities in Colombia) and the Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (German Metrology Institute – PTB) have been working together. This cooperation is carried out through a series of projects called “Artical”, whose objective is to strengthen the competent and coordinated services of the National Quality Subsystem.
The third version of the project (Artical III) aims to strengthen quality infrastructure services in Colombia, to promote the circular economy. To this end, the project focuses on the identification of the needs for quality services and the improvement and development of new quality infrastructure services for the circular economy sectors, especially the plastics, construction materials, and electrical and electronic equipment sectors.
Several activities were conducted to develop a methodology that would allow a prioritisation of the sectors and subsequently of the products, in order to focus the search for gaps and unmet needs on the points that generate the greatest impact in environmental and economic terms.
First, to define the sectors on which the program should focus, the Colombian National Accreditation Body (ONAC) developed a methodology to prioritise two of the three sectors initially proposed. The following criteria were considered:
As a result of this analysis, it was concluded that the chains with the greatest potential to generate the necessary impacts are construction and demolition waste (CDW) and plastics; therefore, the project focused on the plastics and construction sectors.
The two prioritised sectors were subjected to a second stage of analysis, in which PTB requested the formation of a Core Group made up of members of the National Metrology Institute of Colombia (INM), the Colombian Institute of Technical Standards and Certification (ICONTEC), the National Association of Colombian Businessmen (ANDI), ONAC and PTB.
The objective of this group was to design and organise a first workshop, within the framework of the Artical III project, in which the different stakeholders would discuss circularity issues in the two prioritised sectors. The purpose of the workshop was to identify gaps and opportunities for improving quality infrastructure services to promote circularity in these value chains.
As input for the development of the workshop, ONAC developed a methodology based on criteria whose objective is to diagnose gaps in metrology, standardisation and accreditation, facilitate the integration of quality services in circular production processes and develop strategies aligned with the Colombian regulatory and sectoral context.
For the construction of the methodology, an analysis was made of several methodologies to stimulate quality in value chains, the methodologies analysed are listed below:
However, after carrying out the analysis, it was determined that no methodology was sufficiently adaptable to the Colombian context, therefore, it was necessary to build a new methodology that would allow combining these approaches to adapt to the needs of the circular economy in Colombia. The new methodology is based on the following criteria, which enable the evaluation of the importance and impact of each of the products and their circular value chain.
These criteria were discussed at the workshop, which took place on February 19, 2025 at ONAC’s facilities and had the participation of different stakeholders, including the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development, Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Tourism, representatives of the plastics and construction sectors, among other relevant actors. The participants contributed their ideas and helped to improve the construction of the criteria proposed.
The workshop also provided a space for discussion by sector. In these spaces, the participants most interested in each sector discussed among themselves in order to decide on the products on which the development of new quality infrastructure services should be focused. In this way, the representatives of each sector defined the products, both plastic and construction and the reasons why the viability of some materials is greater compared to others.
Finally, some points in the chain of circularity were identified which the core group considered most relevant to emphasise in the development of the project. These links were discussed by the representatives of each sector and finally subjected to an analysis considering the products previously selected. In this discussion, the quality infrastructure services that could meet the needs of the value chain for each product in the links proposed were identified and listed.
Finally, the exercise was very useful in defining the focus of the Artical III project and allows defining lines of action on the part of the quality infrastructure entities to support the implementation of the circular economy by small and medium-sized enterprises.
Romanas Lacost S.A. is a Costa Rican SME located in Tibás, San José, specialising in the maintenance, calibration, sale, and repair of weighing equipment. Although its main office is in Tibás, its services extend throughout Costa Rica, establishing itself as a key player in the weighing equipment and calibration sector.
Its services are primarily directed at sectors such as the food and pharmaceutical industries, where precision in weighing is crucial to ensure product quality and safety.
Since February 15, 2019, Romanas Lacost has held accreditation from the Costa Rican Accreditation Body (ECA) under the INTE-ISO/IEC 17025:2017 standard for the calibration of non-automatic weighing instruments and standard weights, as described in the accreditation scope LC-143. This accreditation ensures that its laboratory meets the highest international standards for technical competence in calibrations, guaranteeing precise and reliable results.
The accreditation has been fundamental for Romanas Lacost in providing credibility and trust to its clients. This support ensures that calibrated equipment meets rigorous international standards, which is essential in processes where weighing precision is critical. Additionally, it has allowed them to differentiate themselves in the market and serve clients requiring specific certifications to operate, strengthening their position as leaders in the sector.
For Romanas Lacost, accreditation has had a significant impact on customer loyalty. By meeting rigorous international standards, Romanas Lacost builds a reputation based on the quality of its services and the reliability of its results, generating trust and loyalty among its clients. Satisfied customers tend to repeat purchases and recommend services, amplifying the company’s reach through positive word-of-mouth.
As a small and medium-sized enterprise (SME), Romanas Lacost faces challenges such as maintaining consistency and reliability in its services in an environment with growing demand. Accreditation has allowed them to establish standardised processes that guarantee precise and consistent results, facilitating efficient management of workload volume without compromising quality.
Impact on the Sector and Commitment to Excellence
Romanas Lacost’s firm commitment to quality and continuous improvement enables its contribution to sector development through innovative solutions. This has generated a positive impact on the local economy, fostering trust and loyalty among its clients.
In conclusion, Romanas Lacost S.A. is a notable example of how an SME can sustainably grow by meeting high international standards through continuous improvement, allowing the implementation of conformity assessment standards and differentiation. This support and trust have enabled the company to consolidate itself as a reference in calibration and marketing of weighing equipment in Costa Rica. Accreditation has been a strategic factor in strengthening its reputation and retaining customers, promoting sustainable growth in the market.
Bangladesh Accreditation Board (BAB) is a statutory body established by “The Bangladesh Accreditation Act, 2006” under the Ministry of Industries, the People’s Republic of Bangladesh. The board is mandated by the act to make provisions for the issuance of accreditation certificates to different laboratories, certification bodies, inspection bodies, training institutions, or persons, in line with the relevant International and national standards and guidelines.
BAB started testing the laboratory accreditation scheme in 2011 and issued its first-ever accreditation certificate in 2012. Since this time, activities of BAB have been expanded in response to valued stakeholders, at home and abroad. BAB is currently operating 4 accreditation schemes for testing, calibration, and medical laboratories, inspection bodies, and certification bodies. As of October 2024, BAB has accredited 144 Conformity Assessment Bodies (CABs) operating in both private and public domains.
In 2015 BAB signed a Mutual Recognition Arrangement (MRA) with the Asia Pacific Accreditation Cooperation (now APAC) and the International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (ILAC). Membership for Halal Accreditation with other similar international and regional organizations including the Standards and Metrology Institute for Islamic Countries (SMIIC) is in process.
The government of Bangladesh declared “The World Accreditation Day” 9 June as a National Day (Category C) in 2013. Every year this day is celebrated nationwide with great enthusiasm, to promote mass awareness about accreditation and dissemination of accreditation information. On the eve of the World Accreditation Day 2024, BAB published souvenirs highlighting the theme of the day and the importance of accreditation, and organized different seminars, symposium stakeholder meetings, and so on. A special supplement was published in the widely circulated daily newspapers and a television talk show was also aired on this occasion.
Zakia Sultana, Senior Secretary of the Ministry of Industries and Md. Anwarul Alam, Director General, BAB is seen in the World Accreditation Day 2024 rally
Like previous years, a colorful rally led by Zakia Sultana, Senior Secretary of the Ministry of Industries and Md. Anwarul Alam, Director General, BAB was held on the occasion of ‘World Accreditation Day 2024’. The experts, regulators, well-wishers, and beneficiaries from different stakeholders including senior officials of the Ministry of Industry, representatives of different accredited CABs, the business community, academia, quality and accreditation persons, and journalists from electronic and print media participated in the rally. Different electronic media aired and print media published the news with great emphasis.
To improve national accreditation infrastructure in the country BAB organizes need-based training on different international standards and technical topics. This also helps in the facilitation of accreditation activities and making a competent assessor/expert pool.
Mr. Md. Anwarul Alam, Director General, BAB and Mr Hohammad Shhohaieb, Initiative Director, UK Bangladesh Standards partnership initiative, BSI along with the participants.
| As part of the ministry-led innovation program for service simplification, BAB has a program to provide accreditation services appropriately by establishing a modern technology-based, efficient, accountable, corruption-free administrative and accreditation system. In this regard, BAB showcased “Pre-qualification Self-Assessment of Testing and Calibration Service Providers Interested in Accreditation through Online” on its website for feasibility and client’s opinion. |  |
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Mr. Md. Anwarul Alam, Director General, BAB describing the service simplification of BAB to Zakia Sultana, Senior Secretary of the Ministry of Industries. |
BAB is committed to maintaining APAC/ILAC MRA status in compliance with international norms, and assists in the overall development of Bangladesh by trade facilitation; delivering confidence and protection of public interest through quality accreditation services without discrimination, and ensuring maintaining independence, impartiality, transparency and objectivity in the decision-making process. To this end, BAB regularly organizes meetings with significant stakeholders for feedback, opinions, and suggestions.
Mr. Md. Anwarul Alam, Director General, BAB and senior BAB officials along with the participants of the stakeholder workshop.
BAB always strives to establish itself as a reliable accreditation organization in regional and the international arena. Over time, the spectrum of BAB activities has been expanding. The Bangladesh government has taken different initiatives and approved new projects in the annual development program for modernization of accreditation infrastructure and capacity building. In the future, through increasing the work portfolios and activities, BAB will continue its significant role in the socio-economic development of the country.
EIAC jointly hosted the APAC annual meetings in Dubai
The annual meeting of Asia Pacific Accreditation Cooperation (APAC) was jointly hosted by the Emirates International Accreditation Centre (EIAC), Emirates National Accreditation System (ENAS) and GCC Accreditation Center (GAC). The Meetings are held from July 13 to July 18, 2024, in Dubai, UAE. This was the first time that annual meetings and general assembly of APAC were held in the UAE and middle east region.
Over 200 delegates attended the 2024 APAC Annual Meeting.
EIAC’s peer re-evaluation conducted by ARAC
The re-evaluation of Emirates International Accreditation Centre (EIAC) was conducted on 06-10 May 2024. The peer evaluation was conducted by the Arab Accreditation Cooperation (ARAC). The six-member peer evaluation team was comprised of peer evaluators from Egypt, Algeria, Saudi Arabia, Jordon and South Africa.
The peer evaluation covered the existing scope ISO/IEC 17025 (Testing and Calibration), ISO/IEC 17020 (Inspection) and ISO 15189 (Medical).
EIAC hosted executive committee meetings of ARAC
The Emirates International Accreditation Centre (EIAC) hosted the executive committee meetings of Arab Accreditation Cooperation (ARAC) in Dubai, UAE on 18 July 2024. The meetings were held in connection with ARAC’s mid-year meetings.
EIAC granted ISQua hospital accreditations
The Emirates International Accreditation Centre (EIAC) granted accreditations to three hospitals and a day surgery center. The accreditations were granted according to the International Society for Quality in Health Care (ISQua) requirements & standard.
The accreditation certificates were officially delivered during the celebrations of the World Patient Safety Day.
EIAC attended Joint IAF-ILAC annual meetings in Berlin
The joint annual meetings of IAF-ILAC were held in Germany on 1-10 October 2024. The EIAC delegation headed by Ms. Amina Ahmed Mohammed, CEO, attended the meetings. The EIAC strongly support the activities of IAF and ILAC and an MRA/MLA signatory to both organizations.
EIAC conducted training on forensic and crime scene
The Emirates International Accreditation Centre (EIAC) has conducted various training.
EIAC launched a new training series on the “Integrated Forensic Management System (EIAC-IFMSO)”. The module is developed by taking guidance from ILAC G19, with a strong emphasis on quality assurance aspects. Aspects from multiple standards including ISO/IEC17020, ISO/IEC 17025, and ISO 15189 are included across various forensic disciplines.
In this regard training was conducted on 23-27 September 2024. The training highlighted the future directions in integrated forensic testing and crime scene inspection & analysis, utilizing multiple management systems and its accreditation, with a specific focus on relevant forensic and criminology scopes.
Delegates had interactive sessions to understand the effective application of accreditation criteria in accordance with multiple standards. Mr. Mohammed Abdel Motagaly was the resource person for this training.
Series of ISO 15189 training including transition training to new version of ISO 15189 were conducted in May, June and October 2024.
ISO/IEC 17025 training and training on measurement uncertainty, method validation and metrological traceability were conducted in June, July and September 2024.
EIAC’s delegation attending APAC annual meetings
EIAC hosted ARAC executive committee meetings
EIAC granted accreditations to hospitals
EIAC’s delegation attending joint IAF-ILAC annual meetings
EIAC’s training on ISO forensic and crime scene
Medellín, Colombia.- The Dominican Accreditation Body (ODAC, by its acronym in Spanish) will host the next General Assembly of the Inter-American Accreditation Cooperation (IAAC).
The announcement was made at the Thirty-Second General Assembly of the IAAC, held in the city of Medellín from August 18 to 23, which brought together more than 100 attendees from 27 countries in the Americas and the Caribbean region.
Once a year, all IAAC members hold technical meetings to contribute to the homologation of criteria for accreditation processes and international standards.
The discussions held at this event generate a positive impact on the quality infrastructure of the countries involved; in addition to serving as an incentive to promote competitiveness through the evaluation of accredited conformity.
The executive director of ODAC, Ángel David Taveras Difo, welcomed with great enthusiasm and commitment that the institution coordinates this activity for the first time.
“We assume this responsibility with integrity, which we are sure will enhance our country’s brand,” the official said.
The next general assembly is scheduled to take place on August 2025, in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.
It is common practice, according to ISO/IEC 17011, for the accreditation body (AB) to sample the activities of the conformity assessment body (CAB) when conducting the assessment. This is done under the understanding that in some cases it is not realistic to cover the entire scope of CAB activity. Selecting an appropriate sample through risk-based thinking is considered sufficient to establish whether the organization adheres to the requirements of the relevant level 3 standard or standards.
Of course, as risk-based activities go, there is always the possibility that we, as assessors, will miss some nonconformities. There are some mechanisms in AB’s processes to minimize such risks, such as getting a full, broad analysis from the CAB on any non-conformities that were raised. However, these are not foolproof. Healthy communication with other bodies is crucial to have a bigger picture and establish a continuous monitoring of CABs. Here are some examples of such providers of information:
Complaints and inquiries from customers – Although it is our policy to refer complainants to the relevant CAB first, there are some flags that can be raised from such communications. For example, ambiguity of the scope, contract or report, changes made to a standard method or issues regarding confidentiality. Such inquiries, even if handled by the CAB to the satisfaction of the complainant, should directly affect the risk analysis concerning the assessment of the organization, to the extent of conducting a surprise assessment or a document-based assessment regarding the requirements of the relevant clause in the specific field in which the subject was raised or it’s general application in the CAB’s activities.
Parallel assessments from regulators and other interested parties – Not all regulators rely exclusively on the assessment activities of the AB to assess laboratory activities, and apply an inspection system of their own, with emphasis on specific methods and adherence to regulatory requirements. Such assessment systems are usually field-specific. As such, the sample of activities assessed is taken from a smaller population of activities, and may certainly include activities that were not recently assessed by the AB. Such issues as required accuracy, sensitivity and measurement uncertainty and scope of the validation (i.e method limits) done by the laboratory may be raised. Other interested parties may raise other subjects such as problems with impartiality and confidentiality.
Proper communication between the AB and the mentioned parties is crucial, and provides a way to further the supervisory activities of the AB. However, there are some conditions for such a mechanism to be effective. The role of the AB needs to be fully understood by the interested parties, regulators and the CABs themselves. It should be clear that the supervision of the AB is not limited to the regular assessments, and if problems and issues are raised between assessment, it is not only allowed but expected that the AB examine such issues. Related to that, the strict confidentiality requirements between the AB and the CAB needs to be clear. This requires a level of trust from all sides. i.e, it is more than likely that the interested party will not get a report on how the CAB addressed and corrected the issue and would only get a response from the AB that the issue was corrected. Furthermore, it should be understood that the AB is not targeting one CAB or another. If the reason for the issue is ambiguity of the requirements, these should be clarified to all relevant CABs, either directly by the AB or the body (regulatory or otherwise) that is in charge of these requirements.
If the role and scope of responsibility of each of the interested parties is clear, and issues are handled with respect to all concerned sides, including the customers of the laboratory (who should be the major benefactors of CAB accreditation), such cooperation will benefit all sides, and all but ensure the clarity or requirements for such CABs and the continued improvement of the CABs activity.
The floriculture sector in Colombia plays a key role economic, social and environmental terms. It contributes significantly to job creation, especially in rural regions, and contributes to the country’s exports. Flower farming drives economic growth and projects a positive image of the country in international markets, consolidating itself as one of the leading players in the world flower trade.
In 2023, flowers were Colombia’s sixth largest export, making up 4.2% of total exports. The sector saw a 1% increase in export value, reaching $2.08 billion, and a decrease of 3.2% in volume to 310,000 tons compared to 2022. Over the past 32 years, flower exports have generally grown. In 2023, 10,500 hectares were dedicated to flower cultivation, with fresh-cut flowers for bouquets, roses, carnations, and pompons being the most widely grown.[1].
Source: MinCIT – DANE – Ceniflores. Own estimates. Research coordination for economic and social studies related to quality infrastructure.
The floriculture sector is a vital pillar in employment generation. By 2023, this industry contributed to creating around 200,000 jobs, of which 110,000 were directly employed, while the remaining 90,000 were attributed to indirect jobs. It is remarkable that, of the total staff, a significant 60% were women. This highlights the importance and empowerment of women in the field of floriculture, highlighting their essential contribution to the economic and social development of the sector.
Regarding the analysis of export destinations, in 2023, the United States was the largest buyer of Colombian flowers with 79.5%, as seen in Figure 2, followed by countries such as Canada, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Japan, Spain and Poland, with less than 4%. According to Procolombia, it is during the Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day seasons that flowers in the sector[2] are most in demand. Other important dates are Thanksgiving Day and the Christmas season.
Source: DIAN – MinCIT. Own estimates. Research coordination for economic and social studies related to quality infrastructure.
In 2023, the total amount requested for appropriations reached 2,291, valued at 799 billion pesos. This marks a notable increase since 2016, reflecting the sector’s growth in exports. The rise in export value appears to encourage florists to seek higher foreign currency earnings, leading to increased investment in infrastructure and productivity-enhancing projects.
The growth of Colombia’s flower sector can also be seen in the increasing hectares dedicated to flower production. By 2023, the area reached approximately 10,000 hectares, despite a notable decrease in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This overall upward trend indicates rising demand for floral products and underscores the sector’s resilience and ongoing expansion, even amid challenges.
Florverde Sustainable Flowers is a private organization dedicated to the certification of a social and environmental standard for the flower sector. Founded by Asocolflores in 1996, it began as a social and environmental floriculture program. In 2002 it became a second-party verifier and the following year; it implemented elements of ISO 14000. In 2005 it included elements of a certification and a standard. In 2013 they changed the brand to Florverde Sustainable Flowers and in 2019 they sealed alliances and agreements with different entities for the recognition and improvement of standards.[3].
The main objectives of Florverde Seal are to promote sustainable agricultural practices within the flower industry and encourage sustainable development in the areas where flowers are grown. Some of the specific objectives are:
The criteria and standards that companies must meet to obtain Florverde certification cover various areas, including environmental, social and product quality aspects. Some of the general criteria that are usually part of this certification are:
To date, Florverde claims to have certified 4,682 hectares from 119 farms in Colombia and Ecuador for a total of 2.2 billion certified stems from these countries. [4]. They also have approval with the standards of the Rainforest Alliance and Global Social Compliance Programme. [5]. The final market for Florverde-certified flowers is in retailers and large stores in the United States such as Kroger, Wal-Mart and Costco, as well as wholesale sales.
Potential accreditation market
Being certified with the Florverde seal signifies a commitment to sustainability and corporate social responsibility for flower industry companies. This certification reflects adherence to sustainable agricultural practices, environmental conservation, and resource management. It also ensures product quality and safety, promotes fair and safe working conditions, and can enhance the company’s reputation and market access among consumers who prioritize sustainability and ethical business practices.
Additionally, ONAC provides accreditation services to support good agricultural practices across crops, animal production, and aquaculture, structured under 16 standards within the CPR framework for agriculture, forestry, and fishing.
For more detailed information, we invite you to visit our webpage and read the full study. Available in both English and Spanish, it offers comprehensive insights into the benefits and impact of the Florverde certification and ONAC’s accreditation services.
Visit our webpage to explore the full study:
English: https://onac.org.co/en/market-study-of-accreditation-services-in-flor-verde-seal/onacs-blog/
Spanish: https://onac.org.co/estudio-de-mercado-de-servicios-de-acreditacion-en-sello-florverde/blog-onac/
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[1] Informe Asocolflores 2023. Available in: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1RIj7S4yVqhn9Ka92G9HZlcQSU9sdyL1O/view
[2] Procolombia. Available in: https://prensa.procolombia.co/gracias-al-trabajo-de-procolombia-con-empresarios-las-flores-colombianas-son-protagonistas-del-dia
[3] https://www.florverde.org/en/about-us-who-are-we/#history
[4] https://www.florverde.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Brochure-Florverde-2024.pdf
[5] https://www.florverde.org/en/how-to-get-fsf-recognition-with-others/
Mexico City, October 24, 2024 – In commemoration of the International Day Against Climate Change, ema held a landmark event that brought together business leaders, representatives from Chambers and Associations, as well as accredited organizations to reaffirm their commitment to combating climate change. Under the initiative “Together with ema to Mitigate Climate Change,” this gathering marks a decisive step toward building a more sustainable and secure environment.
With over 25 years of experience, ema has become a cornerstone of Mexico’s quality infrastructure, promoting accreditation as a tool for sustainability. Today, ema holds over 8,100 accreditations more than 2,300 of them are directly focused on environmental issues, such as emissions control, water laboratory testing, and certification of resource-saving products. This reaffirms the importance of accreditation in climate management.
Concrete Commitments and Ambitious Goals
This event not only commemorated the day but also provided a platform for significant commitments. During the ceremony, more than 55 organizations expanded their accreditations in environmental standards, and 29 signatories, including accredited entities, chambers, and clusters, pledged to align with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to achieve impactful results by 2030. These 17 goals, adopted by all United Nations Member States, including Mexico, in 2015, are a universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure peace and prosperity for all, focusing specifically on SDG 13: Climate Action.
Experts in Environmental Issues Across Various Sectors
The event featured three keynote speakers, each an expert in their field. The representative from the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) discussed the increasing number and severity of environmental challenges. The representative from Sigma Alimentos shared strategies and alternatives for responsible food production, and finally, an expert in Mexico’s financial sector explained new regulations the government will implement to boost the fight against climate change.
Driving Our Initiative Forward
With more than 30 national and international standards available to mitigate climate change, ema and the productive sectors present acknowledged the importance of not only meeting but leading environmental practices that ensure quality and foster consumer confidence. The Mexican Accreditation Entity invited all sectors to integrate sustainable actions into their processes and adopt accredited services that certify the environmental quality of their products. The initiative “Together with ema to Mitigate Climate Change” represents a collective movement towards a more conscious and committed Mexico in the protection of our planet.
