For international trade in goods and services, it is crucial that quality statements can be checked quickly and reliably. At the same time, digital result reports increasingly need to be machine-readable and integrated into Industry 4.0 applications and processes with confidence. We have therefore developed a digital accreditation symbol.
The digital accreditation symbol is the machine-readable counterpart of the existing ‘pictorial’ accreditation symbol of the German Accreditation Body (DAkkS) and can be technically verified worldwide in real time. With the digital accreditation symbol, DAkkS is the first accreditation body worldwide to provide a digital identity for accredited bodies with cryptographically secure key material via the trust service provider D-Trust GmbH. We are thus actively supporting the digital transformation and making an important contribution to a digital verification chain of the quality infrastructure to support a global paperless trading system.
Technically, the digital accreditation symbol is based on an electronic seal - a type of company stamp with additional accreditation information. Its practical use is comparable to the use of digital signatures by natural persons. The digital accreditation symbol thus enables correct proof of accreditation in the digital space. The legal basis for this is the European eIDAS Regulation (EU) No. 910/2014.
Short and compact
As industry and business as well as the customers of conformity assessment bodies are becoming increasingly digital and networked, we are making an important contribution in the area of digital services: Accredited bodies can now also receive the specific state accreditation symbol of the DAkkS in digital form.
What is the digital accreditation symbol? Who can use it? And why was it introduced? This explanatory video on the digital accreditation symbol provides answers and offers a brief overview of the topic. You can also find the most frequently asked questions and answers in the FAQ.
Possible applications
The digital accreditation symbol makes it possible to offer digitally signed, tamper-proof and machine-readable confirmations of conformity to industry and business as an ‘eAttestation’. This means that the values from any digital test report, calibration certificate or certificate can be processed directly. This not only increases security, but also reduces costs, saves time and thus increases efficiency. In addition, the recipients of these digital confirmations can use the digital accreditation symbol to check the validity of the accreditation in real time, giving them even more confidence in the issuer of the document.
Information on how to apply
Would you like to know how to apply for the digital accreditation symbol? The DAkkS explains the process step by step - from application and registration to delivery and use.
