Regulatory compliance is one of the biggest challenges facing businesses today. If they want to succeed in the competitive global economy, they must meet numerous regulatory requirements, in multiple markets. For CSA Group, a testing, inspection, certification and standards body with offices in Canada and around the world, accreditation gives them the ability to offer their clients the services they need to overcome these hurdles—whether they are selling a product or service internationally or within their own country.
CSA Group’s brand has been around for nearly 100 years. Their mark appears on billions of products that Canadians use in their homes every day—from refrigerators and microwaves to smart receptacles and light fixtures. The CSA mark allows consumers to use these products with confidence because they know they have been evaluated and tested to meet stringent Canadian standards and regulations.
CSA Group has been accredited by the Standards Council of Canada as a certification body since 1983. CSA Group’s clients turn to them because they know that through CSA certification they’ll gain access to markets around the world. But this wouldn’t be possible without accreditation.
Accreditation delivers confidence in construction and building materials, supporting all players in the construction industry – from contractors to designers to architects and regulators. CSA Group certifies a range of products that are relied on for our homes and workplaces, including gas components and appliances, photovoltaic systems, plumbing, and electrical products.
“Clients come to us because they trust in our brand, in our name and what we can offer. They trust that we can get them into the markets they need, within Canada especially, today this wouldn’t be possible without accreditation,” explains Benjamin Barker, CSA Group’s Senior Manager, Accreditation, Technical Integrity. “Those products that you find in your home with the CSA mark on it, they're only there because the regulators accept the sale of those products within their jurisdictions. In turn, if the regulator has a question with those products, they can go back to the accreditation body, which would then come back to us. So, accreditation is really one piece in the complete circle, bridge, infrastructure or scheme to ensure products continue to comply with regulation.”