Spain’s Quality Infrastructure: Standards and Certification Essentials
Organizations Providing Quality Infrastructure in Spain
The agencies that constitute the infrastructure for quality in Spain are of six types:
- Standards Bodies: Responsible for the elaboration of quality standards.
- Accreditation Bodies: Recognize the expertise of others to certify, inspect, or audit quality, testing, and calibration laboratories.
- Testing Laboratories: Verify that products meet industry standards or applicable specifications.
- Audit and Inspection Entities: Determine whether activities and results related to quality meet previously established requirements.
- Industrial Calibration Laboratories: Facilitate traceability and consistency of measurement results.
Quality Standards: National, Regional, and International
Standards are crucial for ensuring quality and consistency across industries. They are categorized by their scope:
National Standards
These are prepared, subjected to a period of public review, and sanctioned by a legally recognized body responsible for standardization activities at a national level (e.g., UNE in Spain).
Regional Standards
Developed within the framework of a regional standards body, usually at a continental level, covering a certain number of national standards bodies.
International Standards
Similar characteristics to regional standards in their preparation, but their scope is global. Key international standardization organizations include:
- IEC (International Electrotechnical Commission)
- ITU (International Telecommunication Union)
- ISO (International Organization for Standardization)
Meaning and Scope of Quality Certification
The primary purpose of certification is to instill confidence in the buyer or customer regarding the quality of the purchased product or the supplier’s corporate system.
For example, if a buyer purchases an appliance with an ‘N’ mark, indicating product certification, they can be confident that this product meets the established standards for that device. This is verified by an independent body, separate from the manufacturer, and accredited by an official agency.
Similarly, if a buyer purchases a product from a company with a certified quality system, it means the supplier has a quality system that regularly ensures agreed specifications will be fulfilled. This system meets the minimum requirements of the UNE-EN-ISO 9001:200 standard, as verified by the certifying agency.
However, it’s important to note that if a company has a certified quality system, it does not automatically mean that the intrinsic quality of its product is excellent. Certification primarily attests to the robustness of the management system.
Benefits of Quality Certification for Businesses
Certification is voluntary, offering three significant benefits for companies that obtain it:
- Commercial Advantage: Provides a competitive edge over businesses that do not possess the certificate, or avoids a disadvantage if competitors possess it.
- Reduced Operational Costs: Achieved through formalized procedures, work instructions, and operating principles that describe the proper way for all involved personnel to act, thereby preventing actions that lead to cost overruns.
- Improved Professionalism: Enhances the professionalism of everyone in the organization through training activities required by the standard and the formalization of correct operational procedures.