What is the digital accreditation symbol? Who can use it? And why was it introduced? This video provides answers and offers a brief overview of the topic.
The digital accreditation symbol Machine-readable and technically verifiable – anywhere and anytime
Global trade and infrastructure are increasingly digitised and demand that statements about the quality of traded goods and services can be verified in a timely and trustworthy manner. In addition, there is an increasing demand for digital test reports and attestations to be machine-readable and to be easily integrated into Industry 4.0 applications and processes in a comprehensive manner. In light of these considerations, DAkkS has created a digital accreditation symbol.
What is the digital accreditation symbol?
The digital accreditation symbol is the machine-readable equivalent of the existing “graphic” DAkkS accreditation symbol. It is a worldwide, technically verifiable electronic seal that can be read in real time. The digital accreditation symbol marks a significant advance in the field of accreditation. DAkkS is the first national accreditation authority worldwide to provide a digital identity for accredited conformity assessment bodies, or CABs, with a cryptographically secure pair of keys, provided by the trust service provider D-Trust GmbH. DAkkS is thus actively supporting the digital transformation and making an important contribution to a fully digital chain of evidence for the quality infrastructure of the future. Ultimately, this will facilitate the development of a global paperless trading system.
Technically, the digital accreditation symbol is based on an electronic seal. It is, so to speak, an electronic company stamp with additional accreditation information. In practice, its use is comparable to digital signatures by natural persons. The digital accreditation symbol provides reliable and trustworthy proof of accreditation in the digital space. The legal basis for this specific electronic seal is the European eIDAS Regulation (Regulation (EU) No 910/2014).
Why do we need a digital accreditation symbol?
Industry, business and customers of conformity assessment bodies are increasingly digitised and are pursuing various types of digital transformation. As they expect digital services in the area of accreditation, DAkkS is making an important contribution to this field. The unique national accreditation symbol provided by DAkkS is now available for accredited bodies as a digital version.
This enables accredited bodies to provide recipients in industry and business with a digitally signed, tamper-proof and machine-readable statement of conformity – the ‘eAttestation’. This signifies that the values from any digital test report, calibration certificate or other certificate can be processed directly. The eAttestation not only enhances security, it also reduces costs, saves time and thus increases efficiency.
The digital accreditation symbol also enables recipients to verify the validity of the accreditation status in real time, enhancing their trust in the document’s issuer.
Relevant Documents for the digital accreditation symbol
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