World Accreditation Day, a yearly initiative established by ILAC and IAF to highlight the value and importance of accreditation, will be held on 09 June 2025.

SMEs are essential to the global economy, driving innovation, creating jobs and supporting local communities. However, these businesses often face challenges such as limited resources, competition and difficulty accessing markets. One tool that SMEs can use to address these challenges is conformity assessment, which can provide assurance that their products, services, processes or procedures meet specified requirements. Accreditation of a conformity assessment body confirms that the body is competent and reliable, providing confidence in its results.

Through accredited conformity assessment, SMEs can demonstrate their commitment to quality, safety, sustainability and compliance with recognised best practices. This can strengthen their reputation and consumer confidence, helping SMEs to attract and retain customers. Additionally, SMEs can increase their business opportunities and market access by proving their compliance with standards and regulations.

Accredited conformity assessment can aid SMEs in identifying areas for improvement in their operations, such as enhancing product quality and streamlining processes. For SMEs seeking funding, accredited conformity assessment can improve access to financial support, by signalling lower risk to lenders and investors. It can also enable the SME to meet requirements for government grants or incentives.

The IAF Multilateral Recognition Arrangement (MLA) and ILAC Mutual Recognition Arrangement (MRA) provide an infrastructure that allows accredited conformity assessment results to be recognised around the world. They enable the acceptance of products and services across borders, by removing the need for them to undergo additional tests, inspections or certification in each economy where they are sold.

As in previous years, IAF and ILAC held a contest to develop the official poster.  The winning poster was designed by Joshua Egahi-Ojo Alhassan.

You can download the poster, Joint Statement from the IAF and ILAC Chairs, and the WAD Brochure here.

ILAC and IAF will also be holding a virtual event on 09 June, with more information to be released via social media @ILAC_Official on “X” or ILAC on LinkedIn , closer to the date.