SADC Accreditation Service

What SADC Accreditation Service does

SADC Accreditation Service (SADCAS) is the designated regional accreditation body for the 16 member states of the Southern African Development Community, established around 2005 and headquartered in Gaborone, Botswana. It provides formal accreditation of conformity assessment bodies — including testing, calibration, medical, and veterinary laboratories; inspection bodies; management systems and product certification bodies; legal metrology providers; and, since October 2024, proficiency testing providers — against international standards such as ISO/IEC 17025, 17020, 17021-1, 17065, 15189, and 17043. SADCAS operates a Quality Management System that conforms to ISO/IEC 17011:2017 and holds signatory status to the ILAC Mutual Recognition Arrangement, the IAF Multilateral Recognition Arrangement (including Product Certification), and the AFRAC MRA, which collectively enable accredited organizations to access global markets without repeat testing or re-certification.

SADCAS runs nine formal accreditation schemes (TLAS, CLAS, MLAS, VLAS, IBAS, CBAS-MS, CBAS-PROD, LMAS, and the newer PTAS) supported by trained assessors, on-site assessments, surveillance, and re-assessment cycles. It supplements accreditation revenue with a training program delivered in English, French, and Portuguese across the region, covering ISO/IEC standard requirements, internal auditing, root cause analysis, and method validation. As of June 2025 the organization had issued 384 accreditation certificates to 331 facilities across 17 countries (13 SADC member states plus Mauritius and Burundi) and conducted 309 cumulative training courses in the region, with Botswana hosting 28% of training activity.

SADCAS is governed as a non-profit, intergovernmental body under the SADC framework rather than a commercial enterprise, with no disclosed private equity or public-market ownership. Revenue is generated through recurring accreditation and re-assessment fees, training services, and likely member-state or development-partner contributions, although specific financial figures are not publicly disclosed. Distribution is direct-application and managed through National Accreditation Focal Points (NAFPs) in each SADC member state, with brand presence through The Pioneer newsletter, annual reports, World Accreditation Day events, and a growing digital footprint including a recently launched ERP project.

Name

SADC Accreditation Service

Legal name

Southern African Development Community Accreditation Service

Website

https://sadcas.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2005

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

SADCAS is the designated regional accreditation body for the 16 SADC member states, headquartered in Gaborone, Botswana. It accredits testing, calibration, medical, veterinary, inspection, certification, and proficiency testing bodies against international ISO/IEC standards, supported by a training program delivered across the region.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Accreditation Services

NAICS

Testing Laboratories and Services (541380)

SIC

Services-Testing Laboratories (8734)

akta.pro primary industry

Accreditation Coordination, Recognition & Meta-Accreditation Bodies (EDADACAH)

akta.pro secondary industry

Food Safety, Sanitation & HACCP Training (EDAOAKAG)

Keywords

• Accreditation services
• Conformity assessment
• Laboratory accreditation
• Certification body accreditation
• Inspection body accreditation

Headquarters

HQ city

Gaborone

HQ country

Botswana

HQ region

Africa

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Accreditation Fees: SADCAS charges fees for accreditation services including initial accreditation, periodic assessments, and re-assessments. The fee structure is published on their website under Fee Structure section.
2. Training Services: SADCAS provides training courses on ISO/IEC standards requirements and internal auditing. Training is offered in multiple languages (English, French, Portuguese) and delivered virtually or in-person across SADC member states.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

SADCAS is the designated regional accreditation body for the SADC region, providing accreditation of conformity assessment bodies (testing laboratories, calibration laboratories, medical laboratories, veterinary laboratories, inspection bodies, certification bodies, legal metrology providers, and proficiency testing providers) against international ISO/IEC standards. It supports these accreditations with training services and educational tools, and issues accreditation certificates that are internationally recognised through ILAC and IAF mutual recognition arrangements.

Product overview

SADCAS offers a comprehensive portfolio of accreditation schemes for conformity assessment bodies across the SADC region. The core offerings include Testing Laboratories (TLAS), Calibration Laboratories (CLAS), Medical Laboratories (MLAS), Veterinary Laboratories (VLAS), Inspection Bodies (IBAS), Certification Bodies for Management Systems (CBAS-MS) and Products (CBAS-PROD), Legal Metrology (LMAS), and the newly launched Proficiency Testing Accreditation Scheme (PTAS). These schemes are supported by training services and educational tools like the QMS Quiz. The organization also manages accredited organizations database and issues accreditation certificates based on international standards including ISO/IEC 17025, 17020, 17021, and 17065.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• PTAS (Proficiency Testing Accreditation Scheme): Multi-disciplinary accreditation scheme for proficiency testing providers established in October 2024.
• MLAS (Medical Laboratories Accreditation Scheme)
• TLAS (Testing Laboratories Accreditation Scheme)
• CLAS (Calibration Laboratories Accreditation Scheme)
• CBAS-MS (Certification Bodies Accreditation Scheme - Management Systems)
• CBAS-PROD (Certification Bodies Accreditation Scheme - Product)
• IBAS (Inspection Bodies Accreditation Scheme)
• LMAS (Legal Metrology Accreditation Scheme)
• VLAS (Veterinary Laboratories Accreditation Scheme)

Products and services

• Testing Laboratories Accreditation Scheme (TLAS) Accreditation scheme for testing laboratories assessing technical competence in performing tests against ISO/IEC 17025 requirements.
• Calibration Laboratories Accreditation Scheme (CLAS) Accreditation scheme for calibration laboratories assessing competence in performing calibrations and ensuring measurement traceability.
• Medical Laboratories Accreditation Scheme (MLAS) Accreditation scheme for medical laboratories assessing competence in medical testing services against ISO 15189 requirements.
• Veterinary Laboratories Accreditation Scheme (VLAS) Accreditation scheme for veterinary laboratories assessing competence in veterinary diagnostic testing against ISO/IEC 17025 standards.
• Inspection Bodies Accreditation Scheme (IBAS) Accreditation scheme for inspection bodies assessing competence in performing inspections against ISO/IEC 17020 requirements.
• Certification Bodies Accreditation Scheme - Management Systems (CBAS-MS) Accreditation scheme for certification bodies offering management systems certification (QMS, EMS, OHS, FSMS, HACCP) against ISO/IEC 17021-1.
• Certification Bodies Accreditation Scheme - Product (CBAS-PROD) Accreditation scheme for certification bodies offering product certification services against ISO/IEC 17065.
• Legal Metrology Accreditation Scheme (LMAS) Accreditation scheme for legal metrology activities including verification and calibration of measuring instruments.
• Proficiency Testing Accreditation Scheme (PTAS) Multi-disciplinary accreditation scheme for accrediting proficiency testing providers against ISO/IEC 17043, ensuring quality of interlaboratory comparison programmes.
• Training Services Training programmes on ISO/IEC 17025 requirements, internal auditing, root cause analysis, and method validation, delivered virtually and in-person in English, French, and Portuguese.

Quantifiable outcome

• 384 accreditation certificates issued to 331 facilities across 17 countries as of June 2025
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments8 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• African Organisation for Standardisation (ARSO)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 16 July 2025SADCAS signed MoU with ARSO on 16 July 2025 to boost Conformity Assessment and Sustainability in Africa. The partnership aims to strengthen collaboration between standardization and accreditation bodies.
• ASCOLABcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 6 April 2017SADCAS signed MoU with ASCOLAB on 6 April 2017 to enhance cooperation in laboratory accreditation.
• International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (ILAC)coreOthersSADCAS is a signatory to the ILAC Mutual Recognition Arrangement, enabling mutual recognition of accreditation certificates for testing and calibration laboratories across global networks.
• International Accreditation Forum (IAF)coreOthersSADCAS accepted as member of IAF MRA for Main Scope: Product Certification at MLA (ISO/IEC 17065). IAF manages international recognition of management system certification, product certification, and personnel certification accreditations.
• African Accreditation Cooperation (AFRAC)coreOthersSADCAS is a member of AFRAC, the African accreditation cooperation. Signatory status to AFRAC MRA extended to include Medical Testing and Inspection. SADCAS CEO elected as MRA Council Vice Chairperson.
• SADC Cooperation in Accreditation (SADCA)coreOthersSADCAS works closely with SADCA, the SADC regional cooperation body for accreditation, which provides a platform for coordination of accreditation activities across SADC member states.
• South African National Accreditation System (SANAS)minorOthersListed as a partner link in the Links section of SADCAS website for reference and cooperation.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Others

• African Organisation for Standardisation (ARSO): Continental standards body for Africa with which SADCAS signed an MoU in July 2025 to boost Conformity Assessment and Sustainability in Africa. Comparable as a strategic ecosystem partner in the African quality infrastructure, complementing SADCAS's accreditation role with standards-setting.

Direct peers

• American Association for Laboratory Accreditation (A2LA): US-based accreditation body focused on testing and calibration laboratories with ILAC MRA signatory status. Directly comparable to SADCAS's TLAS and CLAS schemes with similar fee-based recurring revenue model.
• South African National Accreditation System (SANAS): South Africa's national accreditation body, operating across testing, calibration, medical, certification, and inspection schemes with ILAC and IAF MRA signatory status. Directly comparable as a national accreditation body in the broader African region, explicitly listed as a partner link by SADCAS.
• Deutsche Akkreditierungsstelle (DAkkS): Germany's national accreditation body with ILAC and IAF MRA signatory status, operating the full suite of accreditation schemes. Directly comparable as a large-scale multi-disciplinary accreditation body with recurring assessment fee revenue model.
• ANSI National Accreditation Board (ANAB): US accreditation body operating across testing, calibration, certification, inspection, and forensic schemes with ILAC and IAF MRA signatory status. Directly comparable as a multi-disciplinary accreditation body with significant training and standards programs.
• National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL): India's national accreditation body for testing and calibration laboratories with ILAC and IAF MRA signatory status. Directly comparable to SADCAS in operating TLAS/CLAS-type schemes and serving a large, multi-jurisdictional emerging-market constituency.
• United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS): UK's national accreditation body operating across testing, calibration, medical, certification, and inspection schemes with ILAC and IAF MRA signatory status. Directly comparable as a mature, multi-disciplinary national accreditation body — a benchmark for scheme depth and operational scale.
• Comité Français d'Accréditation (COFRAC): France's national accreditation body operating across testing, calibration, medical, certification, and inspection with ILAC and IAF MRA signatory status. Directly comparable as a mature multi-disciplinary national accreditation body serving a multilingual constituency, similar in structure to SADCAS's tri-language operations.
• Entidad Nacional de Acreditación (ENAC): Spain's national accreditation body with ILAC and IAF MRA signatory status across testing, calibration, medical, certification, and inspection schemes. Directly comparable as a multi-disciplinary national accreditation body with recurring fee revenue.

Broad incumbents

• African Accreditation Cooperation (AFRAC): Pan-African intergovernmental body coordinating accreditation bodies across the continent, of which SADCAS is a member and signatory. Comparable as the regional coordination/meta-accreditation layer above SADCAS, setting common African accreditation policy.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/61556456625797
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sadc-accreditation-service

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about SADC Accreditation Service