Building the future of conformity assessment together

Trust is the invisible thread that holds our systems, markets and societies together.
When a medical device is tested, when food is certified safe, when data security is verified — it is trust in the rigour and credibility of assurance that gives people, businesses and governments the confidence to move forward.

That is the role of Conformity Assessment Bodies (CABs). And for 30 years, our role at UKAS has been to underpin that trust.

As we enter our fourth decade as the UK’s National Accreditation Body, we find ourselves reflecting not only on how far the sector has come, but on how much is still changing.

The challenges CABs face today are more complex than ever: climate action, digitalisation, shifting global trade and evolving customer expectations. Each represents both pressure and opportunity.

The question we must answer together is simple: how do we ensure that the trust built over 30 years remains strong for the next 30?

Lessons from 30 years

Looking back, the journey of accreditation has been one of evolution. Thirty years ago, the scope was narrower, the pace slower, the demands more predictable. Today, CABs operate across diverse global industries continually reshaping to meet society’s needs, and that adaptability is now more vital than ever.

As we look ahead, three themes stand out as defining the future of trust: climate action, digitalisation and global recognition.

On climate, the sector faces both expectation and responsibility. Our services underpin the credibility of net zero claims and organisations’ climate actions, but our own readiness varies widely. Through our joint research (and subsequent report) with the Institute of Sustainability and Environmental Professionals (ISEP), we saw that larger CABs are taking decisive steps, while smaller ones face barriers such as limited resources, Scope 3 data complexity and lack of tailored guidance.

ISEP’s report sets out a pathway for the sector with recommendations for its achievement. Calling for collaboration between UKAS, government, sector bodies and individual organisations, it proposes a sector-wide climate action plan and guidance to address shared challenges; also the creation of good practice networks.

On digitalisation, technology is changing the way assurance must be delivered. Customers expect speed and transparency, regulators are exploring data-driven oversight, and artificial intelligence brings both risks and opportunities. Our Digitalisation Readiness Insights programme helps CABs assess where they are, benchmark against peers, and plan for the future. By investing in digital schedules, customer portals and international initiatives like the AIQI Consortium, we are ensuring accreditation evolves in step with technology.

On international trust, the principle of “assessed once, accepted everywhere” remains fundamental. Certificates and test reports from UKAS-accredited CABs are accepted in more than 100 economies. Our successful peer review by the European co-operation for Accreditation last year reaffirmed this status, protecting access to markets and giving CABs the confidence to compete globally.

Each of these areas poses challenges. Taken together, they show us something important: the future of conformity assessment will not be shaped by technical excellence alone. It will be shaped by how — across organisations, across sectors, and across borders.

and it can lead.

UKAS’s commissioning of the ISEP report is part of this leadership, as is the Digitalisation Readiness Insights programme. The ISEP report in particular calls on UKAS to lead, for example to convene the sector to develop climate plans and communication strategies, good practice and guidance.

Looking forward

Marking 30 years is not just about looking back with pride; it is about looking forward with purpose. The next 30 years will be shaped by how well we respond to the pressures of climate action, digitalisation and global complexity.

We all have a role to play: CABs, sector bodies, government and regulators, and UKAS.

We believe the answer lies in three challenges for the whole standards and conformity assessment community:

• To act together, because no challenge can be solved in silos.
• To build capacity, so that all CABs, large and small, can adapt and thrive.
• To safeguard credibility, because trust is our greatest asset.

The future of conformity assessment is not only about meeting standards. It’s about upholding them — with resilience, credibility, and confidence.

UKAS will continue to convene and lead and we will call on stakeholders to step up to meet the challenges both outlined here and in the detail of the research we have published.