JANAAC Pivotal in Advancing Quality and Standards Over 15 Years

For the past 15 years, the Jamaica National Agency for Accreditation (JANAAC) has been playing a pivotal role in advancing quality and standards across various industries.

Speaking during a Jamaica Information Service (JIS) ‘Think Tank’ on Tuesday (November 28), JAMAAC’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Sharonmae Shirley, shared that “our commitment to excellence has contributed to the growth and reputation of and has benefited several laboratories, inspectorates and certification services in national standard bodies within CARICOM”.

Key among its accomplishments is the Agency being a signatory to the International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (ILAC) Mutual Recognition Arrangement (MRA) for three Standards – the ISO 1EC:17025 Standard for testing laboratories, ISO 15189 Standard for medical testing, and ISO IEC 17020 Standard for inspection bodies.

JANAAC also has full membership and active representation at the executive level for the regional and international accreditation organisations, including ILAC, the Inter-American Accreditation Cooperation (IAAC) and the International Accreditation Forum (IAF).

In June 2022, JANAAC became one of four accreditation bodies to be recognised by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the FDA Third-Party Certification Programme.

In April 2023, the agency became the first Caribbean entity to secure IAF membership.

“We have been a key player on the global stage, fostering trust and facilitating international trade,” Ms. Shirley noted.

She pointed out that JANAAC has been the only internationally recognised accreditation body in the English-speaking Caribbean since 2013.

These accomplishments, according to the CEO, would not have been possible without the support received from the agency’s staff, parent Ministry of Industry, Investment and Commerce, and the strategic partnerships and collaborations forged.

She expressed her appreciation for the assistance, pointing out that “to our adjunct assessors that we utilise from the academic institutions, public and private-sector entities in Jamaica, we thank you for your service to JANAAC”.

“We [also] thank and recognise our team members for the work that they do and their dedication to national development,” Ms. Shirley added.

During its awards ceremony on December 4, JANAAC will further show its appreciation to its employees, and members of the Accreditation Council and Accreditation Evaluation and Technical Advisory Committees and other subcommittee members – who have been integral to the entity’s success over the years.

The ceremony is slated for The Jamaica Pegasus hotel in New Kingston under the theme ‘Celebrating Quality’.

Ms. Shirley said many valuable lessons have been learnt during JANAAC’s milestone 15 years of operations.

“We have learned… because of the work that we do. We have learned how to pivot and that we… must be proactive. We must look at what the industries’ needs are, and based on those, align our programmes to meet those needs,” she told JIS News.

For the future, Ms. Shirley anticipates that “we will continue to fly the accreditation banner high and work with our partners to raise awareness on the value of accreditation to our everyday lives and build a culture of quality in Jamaica and the wider Caribbean”.