In this Annual Report, we share A2LA’s organizational growth, the strategic plan we took to get there, the positive impacts we’ve made, and meet the leaders who have helped to pave the way. Everything that we’ve accomplished—and everything in this report—is thanks to our united efforts in pursuit of
The Pressures of Similarity
Conformity Assessment Bodies (CABs) are increasingly receiving requests—often driven by regulatory expectations or market pressure—to apply test results to products beyond those physically tested. These requests most commonly arise from model number proliferation, regional part number variations,
Government Relations Federal Regulatory Updates: April 2026
Agency: Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) Action: Final Rule Title: Safety Standard for Crib Mattresses Summary: The Consumer Product Safety Commission issued a direct final rule updating the mandatory safety standard for crib mattresses under section 104 of the Consumer Product Safety
Government Relations Federal Regulatory Updates: January to March 2026
Agency: Federal Communications Commission Action: Final rule Title: Protecting Against National Security Threats to the Communications Supply Chain Through the Equipment Authorization Program Summary: The FCC issued this final rule to strengthen its equipment authorization process by expanding
ISO/IEC 17065: Mechanism for Safeguarding Impartiality
Impartiality is a common theme amongst conformity assessment schemes. By definition, impartiality is the absence of bias. The International Standards Organization (ISO) establishes the significance of this concept in every conformity assessment scheme (CAS). Specifically within ISO/IEC 17065, the
Testing Baby Food for Toxic Heavy Metals
The Issue According to a 2019 study, “95% of baby foods tested contained one or more toxic heavy metals.” Prolonged exposure to these metals, like arsenic, lead, and mercury, can lead to slowed development, increased cancer risks, cognitive deficits, damage to major organs, behavioral issues, and
Government Relations Federal Regulatory Updates: October to December 2025
Agency: Federal Communications Commission Action: Final Rule Title: Promoting the Integrity and Security of Telecommunications Certification Bodies, Measurement Facilities, and the Equipment Authorization Program Summary: Federal Communications Commission (Commission or FCC) requires all
Accreditation Case Study: ViVitro Labs
Imagine you’re the president of a testing organization with two separate labs. Each lab has its own quality management system (QMS), is accredited by different accrediting bodies (ABs) in two different languages, and there’s a nine-hour time difference between them. Operating these labs separately,