On Wednesday, the 28th of November 2018, the National Certification Body of Jamaica (NCBJ) held their Certificate Handing-Over Ceremony at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel. The ceremony was in celebration of the commitment and dedication of the NCBJ’s clients to sustaining high values of standards and quality in their organisations.

The afternoon saw the University Council of Jamaica (UCJ) and ARC Manufacturing Limited receiving the highest certifications of the day - ISO 9001:2015. Certification to this standard will allow these companies to significantly improve their processes, procedures and their overall profits. How did these companies achieve ISO 9001:2015 certification? Through visionary leadership, teamwork and a committed, driven workforce, the certification was attainable.

As the congratulations continued, another set of companies were praised for their tenacity and dedication to the National Certification Programmes. Those companies were:

• J&F Import and Export producer of fresh tumeric now certified under the Certification of Agricultural Produce (CAP) Programme

• Lloyd’s Manufacturing for obtaining certification under the HACCP Recognition Programme. They are the first sugar repacking company in Jamaica to have achieved this certification.

• Norsai Enterprise Limited, producer of Canned Ackees in Brine for receiving certification under the HACCP Recognition Programme.

Special recognition was also given to the already certified ISO 9001 companies that have transitioned from 2008 to the 2015 version of the Standard. Those companies were:

• The National Road Operating & Constructing Company Limited (NROCC)

• The National Council of Technical Vocational Education and Training (NCTVET)

• The Office of Utilities Regulation (OUR)

• P.A. Benjamin Manufacturing Company Limited

The transition will enable these companies to have an effective quality management system which will engender a greater focus on risk mitigation, stakeholder satisfaction and leadership support.

The NCBJ is committed to providing management system certification services within Jamaica and the wider Caribbean, through a certification decision process based on impartiality.