There is no Certification Body in the Mano River Union(MRU). Establishing the Management System Certification Body (MSCB) at Sierra Leone Standards Bureau(SLSB) is a novelty, as it’s the first in the country. Companies desiring their Management Systems to be certified pay certification fees to the tune of $8000 to $10,000 as certification fees.
The process started in 2019, with a series of trainings conducted by both UNIDO Technical Experts based in the country and Experts from overseas.
The required documentation have been developed including Quality Procedures(QP’s) and their related formats, Public documents (PD’s), Work Instructions(WI’s), Quality Systems Manual (QSM) ,Quality Policy, Confidentiality Statement, and Certification Agreement to mention a few.
Operationalizing a Management System Certification body at SLSB means less cost incurred by companies for certification. SLSB-MSCB has achieved all the bench marks for Bodies Providing Audits and Certification of Management Systems (ISO/IEC 17021-1:2015) . SLSB -MSCB has been accredited by the International Accreditation Service (IAS), an internationally acclaimed accreditation company in the US. The body is now in the position to certify companies to ISO 9001:2015 QMS (Quality Management system standards).
BENEFITS OF MANAGEMENT SYTEM CERTIFICATION
1. Global acceptance and recognition of products and services
2. Reduced cost of certification fees compared to hiring external Certification Bodies
3. Consistency in the quality of products and services
4. Ensures effectiveness in the processes and controls needed for production
5. Enhanced competitiveness
6. Increased customer trust and satisfaction
7. Improved company reputation and brand name
8. Increased market share and profitability
9. Easier market entry for products and services
10. Increase in exports as more suppliers prefer certified companies.
11. Enlists the country among quality conscious nations.
Certification of companies does not only facilitate the movement of goods across borders, it also boost the country’s export potential. Certification puts the country in a good stead for the African Continental Free Trade Agreement
