What’s the Value of Nadcap Accreditation?

Increased sales is one direct result

Published: Friday, January 6, 2012 - 11:48

(PRI: Warrendale, PA) -- To better understand the “value” of Nadcap accredited certification, the International Accreditation Forum (IAF) surveyed businesses in 40 different economies to clarify the drivers for seeking certification, the factors involved in choosing a certification body, and the extent of any benefit derived from the certification process. Nadcap is the leading, worldwide cooperative program of major companies designed to manage a cost-effective consensus approach to special processes and products and provide continual improvement within the aerospace and automotive industries. Nadcap is one of the key programs from the Performance Review Institute (PRI) and is an integral part of the supplier management system of most of the world’s aerospace manufacturers.

From the responses to the IAF survey, more than 4,000 were received from businesses of all sizes operating across a diverse range of industries. While the majority of respondents were responsible for managing quality within their organization, more than a quarter of respondents were finance directors, marketing managers, or other senior management personnel. This indicates that the value of certification is recognized across the spectrum of business functions, and not just in the traditional quality management arena.

More than 80 percent of all respondents reported that certification had added value to their organization, and about half of all participants saw an increase in sales as a direct result of the certification.

This correlates with the results of the Nadcap 20th anniversary survey, where more than 1,500 aerospace suppliers from around the world reported that Nadcap accreditation had helped to increase sales and win new business with comments including, “We have more and more customers who come to us because of our Nadcap accreditation, and the numbers seem to be increasing over the last six months”; and “It has opened us up to new customers and allows processing in house of existing customers products.”

Internal business improvement was listed by nearly half of the IAF survey participants as the main driver for seeking certification, while about one-third said it was a requirement of their customers. However, respondents overwhelmingly stated that certification was important to their customers.

This is also supported by Nadcap survey data showing that 60 percent feel that accreditation has helped to improve standardization, 26 percent report that it has improved visual inspection, and 15 percent say that it has increased productivity. One respondent noted, “Our Nadcap accreditation is value-added for our company. It has assisted in standardization, increased profits, and increased quality. All companies are looking for value-added programs in this day and age; Nadcap is one that should not be overlooked.”

The companies realizing these benefits are small, medium-sized, and large organizations. Nearly two-thirds of the respondents work in small and medium enterprises, half of which have fewer than 50 employees.

The findings of the IAF survey confirm the value of a program like Nadcap, with businesses generating significant benefits from accredited certification. Not only is accreditation being used as a tool to deliver internal business improvement and regulatory compliance, but businesses confirmed that it also has a positive effect on revenue. Given these benefits, and in light of the reported satisfaction with the assessment process, businesses appear to recognize the value that accredited certification provides them.

About The Author

Performance Review Institute PRI

Performance Review Institute (PRI), an affiliate of SAE International, is a global provider of customer focused solutions designed to improve process and product quality by adding value, reducing total cost, and promoting collaboration among stakeholders in industries where safety and quality are shared goals. PRI exists to advance the interests of the mobility and related industries through development of performance standards and administration of quality assurance, accreditation, and certification programs, as well as related activities for the benefit of industry, government, and the general public.