The Uganda National Bureau of Standards has held a workshop with business association leaders where it explained and emphasized the need for businesses to acquire a quality standadrds certification. 

The meeting held in Kampala on Tuesday focused on UNBS standards, certification and compliance procedures and processes to enable a smooth working relationship between the standards agency and the business community.

“We want to use associations to get to all business people because they are in touch with the business community on a daily. 

Associations should be mini-hubs with all info about UNBS services to guide the business community,” Patricia Bageine Ejalu, the Deputy ED-Standards at UNBS, said.

“Before you trade in any product, find out if it has a standard. If the standard exists, ensure that products you are manufacturing or importing meets those standards, to have smooth clearance with UNBS,” she added.

“After product certification, please encourage the business community to apply for systems certification. Systems certification will help you a lot during exportation because it is a requirement,” she advised.  

Ejalu revealed that UNBS has a Lab Recognition Program as a solution to the backlog at the UNBS Labs. The program allows labs recognised by UNBS to test products and the lab results can be used in the certification process.