by Maria Chachali, Bureau Veritas Hellas I&F General Manager
In recent times, the TIC (Testing, Inspection, and Certification) sector has been in the spotlight multiple times, as it has been associated with various unpleasant events, creating an impression among the public that certification adds no credibility. Unfortunately, this conclusion is partially true.
Certification is the successful result of a rigorous assessment. Assessments, when performed consistently and with strict criteria, are a tool for progress, improvement, and trust. In the certification context, they should function as a mechanism that ensures quality, safety, and responsibility. In practice, however, we have observed a dangerous deterioration in recent years.
Examples are constantly increasing where certificates are issued without a prior meaningful assessment. Instead of the evaluation process being demanding and in-depth, it often ends up as a typical procedure without content. Thus, certification is transformed from a quality assurance tool into a commercial product, prioritizing quick profit over real value.
It is evident that this development is not solely the responsibility of certification bodies. The clients themselves, meaning the organizations choosing “empty” certificates are equally culpable. Many companies prefer to pay for the “paper” without going through the process of a real assessment. Instead of seeing certification as an investment that will help them correct weaknesses and enhance their competitiveness, they treat it as a typical requirement that must be met at the lowest possible cost.
This creates a vicious cycle: certification bodies offer superficial services because that’s what the market demands, and the market continues to seek “easy solutions” because that’s what is offered. The result is the devaluation of the entire institution. A certificate that is not accompanied by a meaningful assessment has no value, neither for the organization that possesses it nor for the client who trusts it.
The solution is not easy, but it is necessary. There needs to be a change in mindset coming from both the certification bodies and the clients. The former must restore their credibility by insisting on strict procedures, even if this leads to loss of clients, as it inevitably increases the process cost. The latter must understand that real assessment is an investment that comes at a cost. Only then will certification regain its prestige and become a tool that enhances quality and protects the consumer.
Because ultimately, when the certification sector is devalued, the entire market is devalued. And this devaluation is the result of a conscious choice by both clients and certification bodies.
