Faking certification marks

Evadnie Fields-Benfield is the Information Co-ordinator at the Guyana National Bureau of Standards

Introduction
“In order to serve their intended purpose, the public must be able to trust certification marks”.

What are certification marks?
Certification marks or marks of conformity are the only evidence of the existence of follow-up agreements between manufacturers and nationally accredited testing and certification organisations.

They indicate the existence of a legal follow-up or agreement between the manufacturer of a product and an organisation that possesses accreditation by a national standards body or government for both testing and product certification.

They are proof of legal evidence that the product was successfully tested in accordance with a nationally accredited standard and that the accredited certification organisation has ensured that the item that was successfully tested is identical to that which is offered for sale.  Certification marks also provide legal assurance to consumers that the holder of the mark has complied with all the requirements set out in the relevant national standard and under the scheme, and is regularly audited by the certifying organisation to verify the conditions under which the mark was granted, are still being upheld.

Why marks matter?
Certification marks help to give assurance to customers that the products and services offered for sale will live up to their expectations.  In many cases, they define safety and quality requirements; while in some cases they focus on efficiency or environmental practices and offer peace of mind to retailers, manufacturers, regulators, and consumers alike.

The GNBS mark shows that a product has been independently tested and certified to meet recognised standards for safety or performance.  To show that a product meets the applicable standards, the manufacturer arranges for it to be tested and certified by an accredited testing organisation. Marks also demonstrate the commitment of a manufacturer or service provider to customer satisfaction and safety and four of our jewellers and two manufacturers of PVC pipes have been granted permits to use the GNBS standards mark on their products.

Faking of Marks
Given their importance and the role that they play in facilitation of trade, it is a serious offence to fake or counterfeit certification marks and holders of the mark, should do all that’s possible to protect these marks from predators who may want to use such a mark for cheap gain. However, in spite of the measures put in place, unscrupulous manufacturers around the world are still able to beat the system and use official marks or uncertified products which are usually of poor quality and, there are many instances where faulty items (especially electrical appliances), have caused harm to users.

It is well known that there are manufacturers who knowingly make substandard, unsafe products and apply imitations of marks from established and reputable certifying bodies on them, and they should be made to pay for any injury or damage of resulting deception.  However, even though there are monitoring mechanisms to trap these cheats, there are still many instances where such persons are able to avoid detection.

Consumers on the other hand, can play an active part in helping to expose these dishonest manufacturers by paying attention to those unbelievably “low” or “too good to be true” prices (which should arouse suspicion) and refuse to purchase them.  The importers of such commodities would get the message.
According to R J Falconi, Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary of CSA Group, “Counterfeit products place public safety at  risk and consumers need to get the message that faulty, counterfeit items can kill”.

He further stressed that fake marks can show up on all types of products from circuit breakers and extension cords to safety boots and light bulbs and is a massive problem that must be addressed.
Further, according to Falconi, “Counterfeiting is a massive problem that cannot be ignored.” “It is estimated that it accounts for more than six percent of the world’s trade, or $450 billion per year.  For individuals, counterfeit products and marks are a serious safety threat.  For industry, they represent a liability risk, a crisis in consumer confidence and a drain on profits.  Furthermore, counterfeiting has been linked to money-laundering, terrorism and organised crime.”

In Guyana, we have also experienced and felt the effects of this practice and recently, the GNBS Standards Compliance department ordered the re-shipment of a container of poor quality electric kettles to China.  As the National Standards Body, we have a responsibility to protect consumers in this regard and we will do everything possible, including education and sensitisation and increased surveillance exercises, to ensure that stakeholders do not lose faith in the system of certification.