FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 2004-02-04

SCC Adopts Code of Conduct for Accreditation Body Members

OTTAWA - The Standards Council of Canada (SCC) today announced that it has implemented the International Accreditation Forum, Inc. (IAF) Code of Conduct for Accreditation Body members which was adopted at the 17th Annual Meeting of the IAF held in Bratislava, Slovakia, September 2003.  The Code, which applies to the 43 Accreditation Member Bodies, is an expression of the IAF's recognition of its responsibilities to the public, to its clients, and to colleagues.

Authored by the Standards Council of Canada, the IAF Accreditation Body Member Code of Conduct, guides members in the performance of their professional responsibilities and expresses the basic tenets of ethical and professional conduct.  It includes provisions to ensure the integrity of the registration process, the competence of all who perform the registration and certification service and the credibility of each Member Body. 

The adoption of this Code reflects the SCC's and IAF's continuing commitment to the promotion of best practices and ensures that all Accreditation Body Members work to the highest standards possible.

The International Accreditation Forum, Inc. (IAF) is a global association of Accreditation Bodies and others interested in conformity assessment in the fields of management systems, products, services, personnel and other similar programs of conformity assessment. Its primary function is to develop a single worldwide accreditation program which reduces risk for business and its customers by assuring them that accredited certificates may be relied upon. For more information on the IAF, visit www.iaf.nu.

The Standards Council of Canada is a Crown corporation with the mandate to promote efficient and effective voluntary standardization, and is Canada's representative to the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and the IAF. For more information on the Standards Council's accreditation programs visit www.scc.ca, or contact the Standards Council's Conformity Assessment Branch via e mail at [email protected].

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