SPRING Singapore has increased its grant budget by S$10 million to assist local businesses in enhancing quality and utilizing standards as key business strategies. Enterprises can leverage this funding to create and implement new standards.

Quality and standards can make businesses more efficient, minimize waste, produce safer and higher-quality environmentally friendly products, and create stronger product and service differentiation.

SPRING will also provide funding to establish new standards development organizations that will manage the creation and promotion of standards in emerging sectors. Additionally, they will support the training of future standards professionals through dedicated education programs.

To enhance quality standards for businesses, the agency has developed and revised approximately 180 Singapore standards in 2013. It has also established an accreditation system with a network of about 290 conformity assessment bodies. Last year, a total of 630 companies benefited from SPRING-supported initiatives related to standards adoption, business excellence, and service excellence.

To increase trust in learning service providers (LSPs), the Singapore Accreditation Council (SAC) has introduced a new accreditation program for LSP certification bodies. This program aims to guarantee that certification bodies conduct thorough and unbiased third-party evaluations and certifications of LSPs. This initiative supports the Ministry of Manpower’s efforts to elevate workplace safety and health standards by ensuring the quality of LSP certifications.

The Singapore Standards Council (SSC) and SAC have collaborated with SPRING to formulate strategic initiatives to address the evolving standardization and accreditation requirements of local industries. These initiatives focus on enhancing productivity, fostering the growth of new sectors, improving resource efficiency and sustainability, and addressing social and safety concerns.

The manufacturing sector will benefit from new Singapore standards that aim to enhance logistics support and implement more streamlined business operations. The SSC and the Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore (IDA) have jointly established the first global multi-tiered cloud computing security standard. This standard provides businesses with clearer definitions of the various levels of security offered by cloud service providers. New Singapore standards and accreditation schemes for energy and water efficiency management have also been implemented to promote resource efficiency.

Beginning this year, SPRING assumed the responsibility of the Pacific Area Standards Congress (PASC) Secretariat. This role aims to strengthen international standardization programs and enhance free trade. SPRING actively participates in the Executive Committee of the Pacific Accreditation Cooperation (PAC), which works towards facilitating trade within the Asia Pacific region by harmonizing conformity assessment practices. This is achieved by ensuring that companies possessing certificates with the accreditation mark from PAC member accreditation bodies are globally recognized. The network of accreditation mutual recognition agreements (MRAs) includes recently established agreements for food safety management system certification and proficiency testing providers.

Source: Quality and Standards Conference website.

SPRING formalized two memoranda of understanding (MoU) at the Quality and Standards Conference held on August 5th. The first MoU with Singapore Polytechnic aims to strengthen their partnership in curriculum design and delivery of a Diploma Course in Applied Sciences. This collaboration seeks to enhance the expertise of working professionals in laboratory management. The second MoU with the Joint Accreditation System of Australia and New Zealand (JAS-ANZ) aims to deepen cooperation in accreditation.

“As quality and excellence become increasingly vital for the transformation and expansion of our economy, our programs must remain relevant and beneficial to Singaporean businesses, enabling them to maintain their competitiveness,” stated Tan Kai Hoe, Chief Executive of SPRING Singapore, at the Quality and Standards Conference 2014. He emphasized that a robust quality and standards infrastructure ensures the quality of products and services from Singapore, ultimately strengthening the credibility and trust in the Singapore Brand.

The Quality and Standards Conference, held at Orchard Hotel and jointly organized by SPRING, SSC, SAC, and the Singapore Manufacturing Federation, was attended by approximately 550 business leaders and partners.

*PASC represents a regional alliance of 24 National Standards Bodies, encompassing Brunei Darussalam, Bolivia, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Fiji, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Republic of Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, Mongolia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Russia, Singapore, South Africa, Thailand, and Vietnam.