Certificates and quality marks

With a certificate or quality mark, you can demonstrate that the products, services, processes or working conditions in your company meet certain safety, quality or environmental requirements. For example with organic or local produce. With this, you can also demonstrate that your employees possess certain knowledge and skills.

Certifying bodies and accreditation

In the Netherlands, certifying bodies and quality mark owners may issue certificates and quality marks. The Dutch Accreditation Council (Raad voor Accreditatie, RvA) recognises certifying bodies and quality mark owners if they meet requirements such as impartiality and expertise. You will find a list of European inspection agencies on the Nando Information System's website.

Certificate

A certificate is a written proof. Sometimes, a client or the Dutch government makes the holding of a certificate obligatory, for example for people working with asbestos. A certificate is issued on the basis of certification schemes. These schemes contain the requirements set on the product, service, system or person. In order to continue to hold the certificate, you are obliged to attend refresher courses and sit re-examinations frequently.

Working conditions certificates

A working conditions certificate is mandatory for a number of products, activities and systems, such as:

• lifts, cranes and pressure vessels.
• diving work, working with explosives and shooting commercial fireworks.
• working conditions services and asbestos assessment companies.

New requirements for these working conditions certificates have been in effect since 1 January 2012. Moreover, more supervision is carried out. If you fail to comply with the rules, you will be dealing with heavier sanctions.

Quality mark

Before you are allowed to use a quality mark, you must be granted permission from the quality mark owner. In that case, you may use the logo of this quality mark. Does your product or service not meet the features promised by the quality mark? Then consumers may call you to account. In that case, you must offer them a free solution within a reasonable period.

Quality mark owner

As a quality mark owner, you may register your quality mark in order to be tested by the RvA. If the results are positive, you may publish your quality mark on the Consuwijzer website.