The PJLA Podcast

Does quality really cost money or is poor quality costing your organization far more than you realize?

For many Conformity Assessment Bodies (CABs), discussions about quality often focus on the cost of accreditation, internal audits, proficiency testing, training, equipment calibration, and management system maintenance. While these investments are visible and measurable, they represent only a small portion of the true financial impact of quality. The far greater, and frequently overlooked, expense is the Cost of Poor Quality (COPQ).

This exclusive PJLA webinar examines the Cost of Quality from the unique perspective of testing & calibration laboratories, inspection bodies, certification bodies (systems, products, persons), proficiency testing providers and reference material producers. The webinar explores the real operational, technical, and business challenges faced by Conformity Assessment Bodies.

Participants will learn how quality-related activities influence organizational performance, profitability, customer confidence, regulatory compliance, and accreditation outcomes. Through practical examples the webinar demonstrates how investments in competence, impartiality, technical excellence, and continual improvement reduce operational risk while strengthening long-term business performance.

During this webinar, participants will explore:

• The difference between the Cost of Quality (COQ) and the Cost of Poor Quality (COPQ).
• The four components of the Cost of Quality and how they apply specifically to Conformity Assessment Bodies.
• Hidden costs associated with customer complaints, appeals, report revisions, repeat testing, repeat inspections, incorrect certification decisions, accreditation nonconformities, and technical investigations.
• How accreditation contributes to reducing organizational risk and improving operational efficiency.
• Practical methods for measuring quality costs using meaningful performance indicators and executive dashboards.
• Strategies for transforming quality from a compliance obligation into a competitive business advantage.

Whether you are a Chief Executive Officer, Laboratory Director, Technical Manager, Quality Manager, Inspection Manager, Certification Manager, Accreditation Coordinator, or senior decision-maker, this webinar will provide valuable insights into how effective quality management directly supports sustainable growth, customer confidence, and organizational excellence.

Join PJLA for this thought-provoking session and discover why the most successful Conformity Assessment Bodies do not ask, “How much does quality cost?” Instead, they ask, “How much is poor quality costing our organization?” The answer may become one of your organization’s most powerful opportunities for improvement and long-term success.

Presented By:
Dr. George Anastasopoulos
Technical and International Business Development Manager of PJLA

Accreditation to ISO/IEC 17025:2017 is often viewed as the ultimate demonstration of laboratory competence. Yet many laboratories that achieve compliance still struggle with customer confidence, technical consistency, data reliability, and operational credibility.

This insightful 45-minute webinar explores the critical factors that truly determine laboratory credibility beyond simply meeting standard requirements. The session will examine the technical, operational, and cultural drivers that influence trust in laboratory results.

Participants will also discuss common misconceptions surrounding ISO/IEC 17025 implementation, recurring weaknesses observed during assessments, and the growing challenges associated with digitalization, remote assessments, and emerging technologies.

• Why compliance alone is not enough
• What truly builds laboratory credibility
• Hidden technical and operational risks
• Competence and technical integrity
• Method verification and validation
• Measurement uncertainty and traceability
• Data integrity and digital risks
• Lessons from assessments and real-world failures
• Future challenges for laboratories
• Choosing your accreditation body

Designed for laboratory managers, quality managers, technical personnel, assessors, consultants, regulators, and accreditation professionals, this webinar provides practical insights into how laboratories can strengthen confidence in their results and move from simple compliance to recognized technical excellence.

Presented By:
Dr. George Anastasopoulos
Technical and International Business Development Manager of PJLA

The global accreditation landscape is undergoing its most significant transformation in decades. The merger of the International Accreditation Forum (IAF) and the International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (ILAC) into the Global Accreditation Cooperation Incorporated marks the beginning of a new era for international accreditation.

But what does this mean in practice for Conformity Assessment Bodies?

Join our upcoming PJLA webinar for a clear, structured, and practical analysis of:

• The creation and structure of Global ACI
• Transition from MLA and MRA to a unified global framework
• Impacts on Conformity Assessment Bodies (laboratories, certification, inspection bodies etc.)
• Transitional arrangements and timelines
• Expectations from accreditation bodies and CABs
• Key challenges, risks, and strategic opportunities

This session provides real insight into how this transformation will affect your operations, your accreditation, and your global recognition.

Be prepared. Be informed. Stay ahead.

Presented By:
Dr. George Anastasopoulos
Technical and International Business Development Manager of PJLA

Why This Webinar Matters

Conformity Assessment Schemes are at the heart of certification, accreditation, and regulatory acceptance. Yet, many professionals work within schemes without fully understanding how they are designed, governed, evaluated, and recognized internationally. Robust, well-designed schemes are essential to ensuring confidence, consistency, and credibility forming the foundation upon which global trust, market acceptance, and effective accreditation are built.

What You Will Learn:

This highly practical 1-hour session will provide a complete and structured understanding of conformity assessment schemes, including:

• What a Conformity Assessment Scheme really is
• Scheme requirements at different accreditation standards (ISO/IEC 17024, 17065, 17021-1, 17020, 17025, etc)
• The core elements of a conformity assessment scheme
• Scheme development, validation, and lifecycle
• How schemes are evaluated under IAF MD 25
• The role of Scheme Owners, Conformity Assessment Bodies (CABs), and Accreditation Bodies (ABs)

Presented By:
Dr. George Anastasopoulos
Technical and International Business Development Manager of PJLA

Perry Johnson Laboratory Accreditation, Inc. (PJLA) is pleased to launch a new free 1-hour webinar providing an official, concise, and authoritative update on the forthcoming ISO/IEC 17024:2026 (3rd Edition) – Conformity assessment – General requirements for bodies operating certification of persons- now entering publication following FDIS approval.

What You Will Learn:

1.ISO/IEC 17024:2026 Certification of Persons Competence vs Qualification Certification Models

2. What’s New in the 2026 Edition Key structural and clause-level changes New terminology, clarified definitions, and updated competence principles Strengthened requirements for impartiality, governance, and decision-making Enhanced requirements for examination development, psychometrics and scheme validation Updates related to remote assessments and digital certification workflows Revised alignment with the latest ISO/IEC 17000 series

3. Transition Considerations Implications for Certification and Accreditation Bodies How to prepare scheme owners and exam developers

Who Should Attend

Personnel Certification Bodies (PCBs) Accreditation Body assessors and technical experts

Scheme owners and exam developers HR, competence development, and credentialing professionals

Academic and training organizations

Consultants working in personnel certification or conformity assessment

 

Presented By: Dr. George Anastasopoulos Technical and International Business Development Manager of PJLA

Understanding EU Notification and CE Marking is critical for laboratories, inspection bodies, certification bodies, manufacturers, and regulatory professionals.

This focused 1-hour webinar provides a clear, practical explanation of how notification works, how it relates to CE marking, and what organizations inside and outside the EU must do to navigate the system correctly, without myths, assumptions, or costly mistakes.

 

Presented By: Dr. George Anastasopoulos Technical and International Business Development Manager of PJLA

What You Will Learn

• What notification really means in the EU regulatory framework
• How notification and CE marking are legally connected
• Who can become a Notified Body and who cannot
• The role of accreditation bodies vs. notifying authorities
• Pathways for non-EU organizations and international branches
• Common misconceptions and real-world pitfalls

Most professionals spend years learning how to audit, yet almost no one is ever trained on how to be audited. And that’s exactly why even experienced, well-prepared organizations still feel stress, uncertainty, or discomfort the moment an assessor arrives. After decades of accreditation work across the globe, I’ve seen the same pattern again and again. So let’s change that.

This high-impact webinar is designed to help auditees:

• Replace anxiety with confidence
• Communicate with assessors clearly and transparently
• Understand what assessors really look for
• Turn the assessment into a constructive, collaborative process
• This is not a theoretical lecture, it's practical guidance based on real-world experience. You will walk away equipped with simple techniques, mindset shifts, and do’s & don’ts that make the entire audit process smoother, easier, and far more productive. If you want your next accreditation assessment to feel organized, calm, and under control, this webinar is for you.

From Compliance to Confidence: Mastering Process-Based Auditing in Conformity Assessment Systems

Recorded Webinar | Presented by Dr. George Anastasopoulos, Technical & International Business Development Manager, PJLA

Auditing has changed—and so have the expectations. In today’s conformity assessment landscape, traditional record-checking isn’t enough. Modern standards require a process-based approach that connects performance, risks, and continual improvement to deliver real value.

In this recorded webinar, Dr. George Anastasopoulos breaks down what it truly means to conduct effective, process-based audits across the entire conformity assessment spectrum—including testing, inspection, certification, and accreditation. Through practical examples and sector-specific insights, you’ll learn how to move beyond simple compliance to evaluate process interaction, effectiveness, efficiency, and improvement.

What You’ll Learn:

- The key differences between traditional and process-based auditing

- How PDCA and risk-based thinking shape modern auditing practices

- How process-based auditing applies across ISO/IEC 17000-series standards

- How to follow the “process trail” from inputs to outputs

- How auditors can shift from compliance checkers to value-adding evaluators

- Tools and techniques for designing and conducting audits that matter

Flexible scopes of accreditation are transforming how laboratories, inspection bodies, and certification bodies operate. They empower accredited organizations to respond quickly to client needs, drive innovation, and reduce administrative delays—all while maintaining competence, validation, and control.

In this webinar, PJLA breaks down what flexible scopes are, how they work, and how to implement them effectively without compromising compliance.

Topics covered include:

✅ What flexible scopes are and how they differ from fixed scopes

✅ Key benefits and opportunities for Conformity Assessment Bodies (CABs)

✅ PJLA’s Flex Codes (F0–F5) and their practical application

✅ Implementation examples for laboratories, inspection, and certification bodies

✅ Real-world case studies across testing, calibration, medical, and RMPs

✅ Risks, mitigation measures, and what Accreditation Bodies look for

Whether you are a quality manager, technical manager, assessor, or part of an accredited organization, this session will help you understand how flexibility can enhance agility, competitiveness, and integrity within your accreditation framework.

👉 Learn more about PJLA and upcoming webinars: www.pjlabs.com

Competence vs. Qualification: What Really Matters in Personnel Certification?

Join Perry Johnson Laboratory Accreditation, Inc. (PJLA) and Dr. George Anastasopoulos for a free webinar exploring the difference between competence and qualification in personnel certification.

Learn how international standards such as ISO/IEC 17024, ISO 19011, and ASTM E2659 define competence, why it’s more important than academic credentials alone, and what makes certification programs credible and effective.

This session is ideal for:

✔ Certification bodies

✔ HR managers

✔ Training providers

✔ Professionals seeking certification

 

 Presented by: Dr. George Anastasopoulos, Technical & International Business Development Manager, PJLA

 

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