The British Measurement and Testing Association (BMTA) attended the inaugural UKAS Policy Forum 2026, held in London on 8 September 2026. The event convened senior stakeholders from government, regulators, industry bodies and the wider conformity assessment community to explore how accreditation can support business resilience and regulatory confidence in a rapidly changing landscape.
Setting the agenda: Government priorities and global pressures
The forum opened with a welcome from Richard Collin, Executive Director for External Affairs at UKAS, followed by a ministerial address from Kate Dearden MP, Minister of State for the Future of Work at the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade. Her remarks highlighted the importance of trusted accreditation systems in supporting innovation, workforce capability and business confidence.
A keynote from Marco Forgione, Director General of the Chartered Institute of Export & International Trade, examined the global context of 2026 — including geopolitical uncertainty, shifting trade dynamics and the increasing importance of internationally recognised conformity assessment in enabling frictionless market access.
These themes echo wider industry discussions on how accreditation and standards help organisations navigate regulatory change and maintain competitiveness, as seen across UKAS and BMTA’s broader 2026 engagement programmes.
Plenary: Enabling trust in uncertain times
The morning plenary, moderated by UKAS Chief Executive Matt Gantley, brought together senior leaders from Make UK, NQA Global and BSI Standards. The panel explored how accreditation underpins trust in supply chains, supports regulatory confidence and provides stability for businesses navigating economic and technological change.
Breakout sessions: Evidence, market access and regulatory efficiency
Delegates then joined three breakout sessions addressing core challenges for the UK’s quality and conformity assessment ecosystem:
1. The business value of accredited management systems certification
Moderated by Alex Lubbock, UKAS, the session presented findings from the largest UK study to date on the economic impact of accredited certification. Speakers highlighted measurable benefits for SMEs and supply chains.
2. Unlocking market access through global quality infrastructure
Led by Richard Collin, this session explored how international accreditation frameworks support UK competitiveness and reduce technical barriers to trade.
3. Reducing regulatory burden while maintaining confidence
Moderated by Suzi Daley, UKAS, this discussion examined smarter regulation approaches with insights from the Food Standards Agency, Environment Agency and IHIO.
BMTA attended this session as it was the most relevant to BMTA members. The Food Standards Agency and the Environment Agency have utilised accredited testing to support their regulatory activities for many years. In many ways they are exemplars of how assured testing provides ‘earned recognition’ to ensure compliance is demonstrated.
Fireside conversation: Product safety and national assurance
The afternoon resumed with a fireside conversation between Graham Russell MBE, Chief Executive of the Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS), and Richard Collin. Their discussion explored the evolving landscape of product safety, the role of accreditation in supporting regulatory confidence, and how trusted conformity assessment frameworks underpin consumer protection and business performance. Graham spoke about his extensive career in standards and assurance that started in Trading Standards and gave some interesting examples that highlighted the importance of metrology in providing consumer confidence.
Plenary: Building trust in climate claims and sustainability actions
The final thematic plenary addressed one of the most pressing challenges for regulators and industry: ensuring credibility in climate and sustainability claims.
Keynote
Alex Kazaglis, Chief Strategy and Transformation Officer at the Science Based Targets Initiative, delivered a keynote on the importance of robust methodologies, transparent reporting and internationally aligned assurance mechanisms.
Panel discussion
Moderated by Rachel Solomon Williams, Executive Director of the Aldersgate Group, the panel brought together experts from UKAS, ISEP, SBTi and DEFRA. The discussion highlighted the growing need for trusted verification of climate claims, the role of accreditation in preventing greenwashing and the importance of credible sustainability assurance for markets, investors and consumers. This sector has long utilised ‘MRV’ – monitoring, reporting and verification for the UK Emissions Trading Scheme with valid analytical measurements sitting at the core of the assurance.
Closing reflections
The forum concluded with reflections from Richard Collin and Ryan Pratt, followed by closing remarks from Michael Mainelli, Chair of UKAS, and Matt Gantley, Chief Executive Officer. They emphasised the importance of continued collaboration across the national quality infrastructure and reaffirmed UKAS’s commitment to transparent, evidence-based engagement with stakeholders.
BMTA’s role and wider 2026 engagement
BMTA’s attendance ensured that the UK testing and measurement sector was represented throughout discussions on accreditation policy, regulatory expectations and the evolving needs of industry.
Along with other attendees BMTA has been invited to give feedback to UKAS on this new event. Overall, the conference was incredibly useful at drawing together all stakeholders that sit in, or are linked, to the national quality infrastructure. It is understood that this Conference replaces the previous Policy Advisory Forum (PAF) which had a broad role to input into UKAS’s broader strategy, including more operationally focussed activities. BMTA is keen to continue its role in providing insights and feedback on UKAS’s service delivery and technical integrity and is looking forward to its continued involvement in relevant UKAS committees.