Annual report 2024: innovation, sustainability, and synergy with the Institutions

The Annual report 2024, approved together with the financial statements, confirms the growth of accredited bodies and laboratories and highlights the results achieved by Accredia in strategic sectors, serving Institutions, businesses, and consumers.

With 2,616 accreditations issued by Accredia to bodies and laboratories, in 2024 the demand for certification and laboratory testing focused on crucial areas such as sustainability, cybersecurity, professional skills, and artificial intelligence.

These are the positive results of the Annual report 2024 presented to the Members’ Assembly on May 13, at the Confcommercio headquarters in Rome to approve the Financial statement 2024 and the 2025 budget.

“Accredia’s 2024 data” observed Massimo De Felice, President of Accredia “highlight how accreditation is now an effective tool for implementing the digital, green, and social transitions, in line with the objectives of the NRRP, the National Recovery and Resilience Plan, and the main European regulations. With the Accredia Academy, we are also consolidating a model of advanced technical training based on the principle of doing and training.”

“This is demonstrated” continued De Felice “by initiatives such as the Summer School organized with the Metrology Institute INRiM, our work to raise awareness of emerging issues such as animal welfare, and our investment in the training of professionals, stakeholders, and students, combined with the strengthening of University partnerships. All these activities are carried out with a new visual identity for the organization, which has been revamped to reflect its growth in expertise and Authority.”

Growing sectors

Among the sectors that recorded the most significant results are environmental and social certifications, and those related to the new UNI ISO 27001 standard for information security and food safety management systems.

Particularly significant was the growth of companies that chose accredited certification for gender equality according to the Reference Practice UNI/PdR 125: with 27,179 certified company sites, the number tripled in just one year, thanks in part to the support of the NRRP measures.

Accreditation has also been used in the field of sustainability as a strategic tool to ensure transparency and credibility: companies that adopt certified standards improve their environmental and social impact, reducing the risk of greenwashing.

In addition, 43,720 company sites are certified according to ISO 14001 for environmental management systems, demonstrating organizations’ commitment to protecting the environment (+16% annual growth since 2014).

At the same time, there are 5,771 sites certified according to ISO 50001 (+45%), the international standard that provides a framework for energy management, helping organizations improve their energy performance.

The number of accredited calibration laboratories is also growing, issuing 233,955 calibration certificates, doubling the volume compared to 10 years ago.

International commitment

At international level, with Accredia, Italy has obtained confirmation of the membership to the EA MLA, IAF MLA and ILAC MRA Mutual Recognition Agreements, which promote the free movement of goods and services in international markets.

The Accreditation Body has also actively contributed to the creation of Global Accreditation Cooperation, the global association of accreditation bodies and stakeholders, strengthening Italy’s voice in the global accredited certification landscape.