Kiwa is a global authority in a wide variety of markets, from construction and energy to water and healthcare. Our experts know their way around the minefield of European and global regulations, quality norms and safety criteria. This knowledge enables them to open doors for you that would have otherwise remained closed. We may make the difference in your efforts to access markets. And we can certify quite a lot, as you will see below.
Certifying a product or an aspect of it
Product certification allows you to demonstrate that you perform internal quality monitoring and manage every detail of the production of a product, from checking the supplied raw materials to the production process and storing the final product. When certifying your product, we in fact monitor your internal quality control system. That way, your product will always meet requirements. By obtaining product certification, you will increase your market chances, as you will be able to offer (potential) buyers objective proof that your products and the production process meet current quality and safety requirements.
Perhaps you do not want your entire product to be certified, but only a specific aspect of it or a specific characteristic. We can provide an aspect certificate. For instance, to declare that your product can safely be connected to a drinking water installation.
Certifying a building design
Design certification or more commonly, design attestation is a one-off assessment of a building design. An attestation is not an inspection certificate of a product's specifications, although it can be linked to a system or product certification. An attestation only provides proof that a building element meets performance requirements as laid down in a country's Buildings Decree or equivalent.
Certifying personal skills
People are the most important factor in achieving your business objectives. Certification of persons or, rather, of personal skills complements the quality assurance of organisations and products. Contrary to educational programmes, which mostly focus on gaining certain knowledge, we focus on establishing someone's skills and then monitor those skills. After the validity period of a certificate has expired, the person concerned must once again demonstrate that he or she still possesses the required skills - which may change along with changes in the field of expertise.
Certifying a process
If you provide a service or if you manufacture, manage or process something that can't be tested against objectively measurable criteria, Kiwa can certify the work process. This also applies to processes in varying locations and processes where workmanship plays a role. Constant monitoring of the quality of all possible activities within your organisation will improve employee efficiency and accuracy and make company risks easier to control. Processes like these include installing a pipe system, producing foundation poles and laying impervious paving at petrol stations. As a process certificate will also add strength to your market position, you enjoy a persuasive advantage in the allocation of projects.
Certifying (management) systems
System certification focuses on the management system you use in your company or institution. It clarifies responsibilities, authorisations and procedures within your organisation. Most shortcomings in an organisation can be traced back to unclear communication and insufficient clarity about responsibilities, tasks, competencies and procedures. A quality management system according to an international ISO standard increases people's awareness of what they do, how, when and why they do it. Client opinions emerge through customer satisfaction surveys. Other aspects of business operation are also more manageable when a well-functioning management system is in place. The advantages are evident: more efficient work processes, happier employees, better risk control, improved customer satisfaction and greater profits.
CE marking
CE marking is not a certification. Still, it is important for bringing your products to the European market. CE stands for Conformité Européenne (European Conformity). As a manufacturer, it is your responsibility to perform a conformity assessment, prepare a technical file, draw up the conformity declaration and apply the CE marking to your product. Applying CE marking means you declare that your product has been tested and meets all of the European directives on safety, health and the environment. If required by these directives, you must have all of your products tested by a competent inspection body known as a Notified Body (NoBo). The EU has designated Kiwa as a NoBo, which means Kiwa is entitled to issue CE marking. Product groups that require CE marking include machines, gas devices, pressure equipment, personal protective equipment, medical devices, building products, electrical equipment, electronic equipment, recreational craft and toys.
See Kiwa's notifications on the
NANDO website (New Approach Notified and Designated Organisations)
