Uganda National Bureau of Standards Product Certification

Uganda National Bureau of Standards Product Certification

Product certification involves the issuance of a certificate or mark (or both) by a third party to demonstrate that a specific product meets a defined set of requirements such as safety, fitness for use and/or interchangeability characteristics for that product, usually specified in a standard.

Product certification mark is normally found on the product or its packaging and may also appear on a certificate issued by the product certification body. The mark carries a reference to the number or name of the relevant product standard against which the product has been certified.

UNBS operates a Product Certification Scheme in accordance to the provisions of the Certification Regulations of 1995. Under this scheme, manufacturers apply for and are granted permits to use the Uganda Standards Certification Mark (The Quality Mark) on their products after demonstrating compliance of their products to the requirements of relevant National standards.

The UNBS Product Certification Scheme aims at providing Third Party Guarantee of quality, safety and reliability of products to the consumers. The presence of the UNBS Quality Mark on a product is an assurance of conformity to relevant standards. The conformity is ensured by regular surveillance of the manufacturer’s performance by surprise inspections and testing of samples, drawn both from the market and factory.

Uganda Natioanl Burea of Standards Benefits of product certification

• Winning Consumer confidence in the certified products resulting into increased market share and consumers’ ability to identify the products that conform to quality standards thus making quick decisions in favour of quality products.
• The product is presented with a better image in both national and international markets resulting into: mutual recognition schemes where countries recognize each other’s products thus easing entry into regional and foreign markets; easy acceptance and promotion of new products in the markets; and safeguarding the image and reputation of the manufacturer.
• Protection against unfair competition from inferior products on the market through: easy identification of the products that conform since they carry the Quality Mark; government and international bodies and NGOs rely on Certified products for their purchases; and government is making it a requirement for local purchases to be certified.
• The Certification Scheme provides technical audit of product quality and process control procedures. This means that the Manufacturer gets technical advisory services and information at little or no cost that would otherwise be obtained at very high cost.

Uganda National Burea of Standards Procedures for product certification

To apply for your product to be certified under the Product Certification Scheme:

1. Obtain an application form from UNBS.
2. Fill in and return the form and necessary information to UNBS.
3. The information submitted to UNBS is evaluated.
4. Auditors from UNBS visit the factory of the applicant for auditing.
5. If the auditors are satisfied that the Company has fulfilled the requirements of the relevant standards, a permit to use the Quality Mark will be granted to the applicant by UNBS.

UNBS CERT-PC-F02 Application for Q-mark

UNBS CERT-SM-F02 Application form S-mark

UNBS CERT-SM-F01 – Self Assessment Checklist for S Mark

UNBS CERT-PC-F01 – Self Assessment Checklist for Product Certification

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