UKAS today and setting the path for the next 30 years

As we reflect on another pivotal year, it is impossible not to revisit the themes that I articulated in last year’s annual report; a message of purposeful leadership, cultural clarity and the imperative to challenge and support every part of UKAS as we evolve. This past year has lived up to that ethos, setting a clear “scene” for the future: one in which culture, performance and belonging are deeply intertwined.

Building upon last year’s performance, UKAS delivered 36,787 assessment days. In some areas we are driven to continue to seek creative solutions to the challenges of acquiring and maintaining technical resources across the breadth of areas covered by accreditation.  The result: an organisation that has remained resilient, adaptive and focused throughout the financial year – despite the challenges. Resource planning is a theme and focus that will continue as we move into the future.

Our commitment to service excellence was reflected in rising Net Promoter Scores, and improvements in post-assessment feedback. We continue to examine areas where scores aren’t as expected and examine in detail feedback that we receive to understand what changes we must make internally to improve. Whilst sometimes a frustrating read, feedback in this way provides a rich source of insight into the customer experience and we owe it to ourselves and our stakeholders to approach each insight with honesty and openness. Continuous improvement only truly works if everyone involved operates with a level of transparency which converts to action.

Just as important was our progress in employee engagement – a cornerstone for any high-performing organisation. Morale and operational scores improved across the business, with a tangible sense of momentum and optimism among teams. Leadership has played a critical role in this shift, driving professionalism, respect, integrity, dedication and excellence as lived values.

The journey ahead

As we look forward, I am clear about the journey that remains. Challenges persist:

• Adapting assessment approaches to a dynamic assurance environment, particularly in specialist areas like forensics, construction and healthcare, whilst continuing to provide the appropriate levels of quality of provision.
• Embedding digital transformation at every level – from operational systems to service delivery—to drive efficiency and responsiveness. Alongside this, we must be clear in how we support our customers and stakeholders on their own digital journey – always with the impacts on accreditation in mind.
• Maintaining high standards of customer satisfaction in an increasingly complex and fast-changing landscape.
• Continuing to address the resource challenges as external industry landscapes continue to evolve. Our onboarding and rigorous training will be as important as ever as we go through some of the highest volumes of training new colleagues that UKAS has seen in recent years.

Setting the path for the next 30 years

This year’s results reaffirm that UKAS today is stronger, more responsive and more committed to excellence than ever before. But if the past 30 years have set the scene, those to come will show how UKAS perceives and delivers its role as the national accreditation body.

In this time of rapid technological change, evolving global standards, and growing public scrutiny, UKAS’s role as the UK’s national accreditation body has never been more vital. Our future will demand that we stay at the forefront of both technical expertise and cultural leadership—balancing rigorous, impartial accreditation with an organisational culture where people thrive.

There is a journey still to go. UKAS must continue evolving to meet the demands of a digital-first, stakeholder-driven environment. We must continue to develop our people and processes, making space for innovation while safeguarding the professionalism and integrity that define us.

Yet, as we set our sights on the next three decades, we do so from a position of strength. We can take confidence from the culture we have fostered – one where performance and belonging are not competing objectives but mutually reinforcing imperatives.

I echo the words from last Annual Report; “UKAS will both challenge and support all teams, fostering a real culture of belonging where our actions meet our words.” That sentiment continues to guide us today. And it will underpin everything we do as we chart the path to 2055 and beyond—a path defined by excellence, service, and shared purpose.