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 organisations 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. 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.
 
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. Some examples of how members adjusted to the pandemic to celebrate in 2020 can be viewed here and here.
 
IAF and ILAC will be holding a virtual event on 09 June 2022 at two different times, 8:00 UTC and 19:00 UTC, to accommodate individuals in different time zones. To attend, register at one of the following links:
 
8:00 UTC event: https://bit.ly/3GmeTqb
19:00 UTC event: https://bit.ly/3NwVVj8
 
We also encourage everyone to celebrate with us online using the hashtag #WAD2022 and to contact your local accreditation body for further details on local media and online seminars and programs they may be organising. A list of IAF Members is available here, and a list of ILAC Members is available here.