VOLUNTARY CERTIFICATION

The need for voluntary certification comes from the desire of the consumer to be sure that the product or service meets not only the safety criteria that are confirmed with obligatory certification, but also a certain number of quality indicators, as well as in the guarantee of compliance with the parameters stated in the advertisement or accompanying documentation.

Parameters that can be verified with voluntary certification can comply with national or international standards, technical conditions, contract conditions, and may exceed them.

1. What is the SMART voluntary certification system?
   • This certification is at the request of manufacturer, seller or buyer.
   • These are tests that make it possible to significantly expand the concept of quality in comparison with tests with obligatory certification;
   • This is the choice of the manufacturer, what indicators of the quality of your product or services most interested consumers to declare for conformity assessment;
   • This is the provision of complete and reliable information for the buyer about the state of products and services.


2. Why is the SMART voluntary certification system needed?
   • Conformity assessment of products, applicable production processes, operation, storage, transportation, implementation of works, services of enterprises (organizations) to standards, system documents and contract terms.
   • Assistance to purchasers in the competent selection of products, works, services.
   • Improving the quality and competitiveness of products, works, services in the Russian and international markets.
   • Creation of conditions for ensuring the free movement of goods across the territory of the Russian Federation, as well as for the implementation of international economic, scientific and technical cooperation and international trade.


3. Advantages of certification in the SMART voluntary certification system:
   • Voluntary certification is one of the main tools for market regulation of the quality and competitiveness of products and services.
   • Certification minimizes the risk of supplying low-quality products and services.
   • Accuracy and reliability of testing of product samples / samples in accredited laboratories is an integral part of the voluntary certification procedure. test reports can be used by the applicant when he applies the declaration procedure for obligatory conformity assessment using third-party materials as evidence.
   • Applicant receives independent and most reliable information about the quality of his product or service and can more effectively promote his brand in the consumer market.


4. Voluntary certification in the SMART System is based on the principles of:
   • availability of information for interested parties on the procedure and rules for voluntary certification;
   • inadmissibility of coercion to implement voluntary certification;
   • voluntary certification by impartial, competent staff;
   • protection of property interests of applicants, observance of trade secrets in relation to information obtained during voluntary certification;
   • inadmissibility of substitution of obligatory conformity assessment with voluntary certification;
   • conducting voluntary certification for all requirements of regulatory documents that determine the quality of the object of conformity assessment.


5. The objectivity and reliability of voluntary certification in the SMART System is ensured by the confirmation of the competence of conformity assessment bodies, inspections, testing laboratories, as well as expert certification.

   is ensured by the confirmation of the competence of conformity assessment bodies, inspections, testing laboratories, as well as expert certification.

   To assess the competence of applicants, as well as entities of the System, VERTEST LLC has a Competency Assessment Authority.

   The system has its own forms of certificates of registration of conformity assessment bodies, testing (analytical) laboratories and centers, inspection bodies, forms of conformity certificates and notification certificates.

   The basic rules and operating procedures of the SMART system are documented and available to interested parties:

   1. The rules of the system.
   2. The procedure for assessing competence.
   3. The procedure for applying the conformity mark.
   4. Procedure for conformity assessment and inspection.

   The central body of the System on an ongoing basis analyzes the maturity of certified enterprises and the effectiveness of the bodies for conformity assessment, inspection and testing laboratories, training personnel of enterprises and organizations, consultations on various issues of management and quality assurance.



6. What does the conformity mark of the SMART Voluntary Certification System look like and when?
   • The visible difference between certified products from similar, non-certified products is the application of the SMART conformity mark on products, packaging, in the accompanying documentation. This sign informs the buyer that the products he purchases comply with the quality requirements stated by the manufacturer and indicated in the marking.
   • The applicant/manufacturer gets the opportunity to use the certificate and SMART conformity mark for advertising purposes and increase sales of products.
   • The SMART mark complements the market circulation mark, which obligatorily marks products that are subject to technical regulations, and the CE mark for imported goods.
   • The SMART mark is used to indicate compliance of product quality with the stated requirements and specified in the certificate.
   • Russian and English sign designation

An organization with a certified management system may use the SMART conformity mark separately or in combination with other conformity marks, but it must be clearly indicated what was certified and which certification body performed the certification.