09 June 2022 marks the 15th anniversary of World Accreditation Day (WAD), a day that IAF and ILAC celebrate every year with members, partners, stakeholders, and other organizations in the field of conformity assessment to mark the importance of accreditation.
WAD was established in 2007 by the IAF/ILAC Joint General Assembly, and first celebrated in 2008 with the theme of Accreditation: Delivering Trust in the Global Market. Over the years, themes have touched on the broad qualities of accreditation such as its ability to deliver trust and confidence, the ways that it benefits specific groups such as regulators, and its role in benefiting certain sectors and addressing specific issues.
Recent themes
More recent themes focus on how accreditation supports broader global issues such as the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The past themes of WAD, and promotional materials prepared to celebrate the day, can all be viewed here.
The WAD 2022 theme is Accreditation: Sustainability in Economic Growth and the Environment. With ecosystems under increasing strain from climate change, habitat destruction, and pollution, viewing economic growth through the lens of sustainability has become essential. Accreditation and standards can help regulators, companies, and consumers require or engage in more environmentally friendly practices. A joint statement from the IAF and ILAC Chairs, poster and brochure with more information on the theme are now available for download.
COVID-19 pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted in-person celebrations in recent years, but IAF, ILAC, their members, and other organizations have continued to celebrate in a wide variety of ways, including with virtual events.
