Many companies that have established laboratories have asked KNA Cert about the application of the ISO/IEC 17025:2017 standard and the benefits it brings to businesses and laboratories. This article by KNA will outline the main reasons why laboratories should adopt ISO/IEC 17025:2017.
Since Vietnam opened up and gradually shifted towards integration, its open economy has developed strongly. Now, Vietnam is present in major international arenas, meaning our country has a greater chance of success. One of the requirements of the WTO and AFTA is that Vietnam must thoroughly understand and comply with the laws, conventions, and treaties set forth within these frameworks.
In the field of testing and calibration, international requirements mandate the publication of test and calibration results. “A globally accepted certification” means that test and calibration results must originate from laboratories authorized to issue globally accepted certifications. This also demonstrates the importance of accreditation in reducing technical barriers to trade; avoiding repeated testing/certification, saving time and costs; and establishing the credibility of testing and calibration laboratories with their clients (both direct and indirect).
Each export shipment is typically required to include a test result of a sample taken from that shipment, and these test results are usually required to be “globally accepted.” Thanks to market liberalization, Vietnamese businesses are securing more export contracts, thus increasing the demand for sending samples to internationally accredited laboratories to obtain “globally accepted test results.”
If your laboratory is ISO/IEC accredited, your results will be recognized worldwide.
Thus, an internationally accredited laboratory will have more opportunities to increase revenue. Striving to become an accredited laboratory is an inevitable trend for laboratories worldwide in general and for laboratories in Vietnam in particular, as the global economy is becoming increasingly “globalized”.
For a laboratory to be internationally accredited, it must be certified by an accreditation body (such as VILAS) as conforming to the international standard ISO/IEC 17025:2017.
Furthermore, implementing ISO 17025:2017 gives the laboratory the opportunity to focus all its resources on improving quality and reliability.
More importantly, the results of measurements/tests from accredited laboratories have been recognized by the State as legally valid. This is affirmed in Article 16, Chapter III of Decree 179/2004/ND-CP, issued by the Government on October 21, 2004, which states: “The results of testing, inspection, and certification of product and goods quality and quality management systems of the corresponding testing, inspection, and certification organizations shall be given priority as legally valid documents in the management of product and goods quality domestically and in trade relations with foreign countries.”
In summary, for a laboratory to survive and thrive in the future, accreditation according to the international standard ISO/IEC 17025:2017 is a mandatory requirement, whether it is a laboratory of a private enterprise or a laboratory of a long-established multinational corporation.
For consultation on building a laboratory system that meets ISO 17025:2017 standards, please contact KNA via Hotline: 093.2211.786 or email salesmanager@knacert.com .
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