Presentation

I.CE.C. is the Institute for the Certification of Quality in tannery and related fields; it is the only institute in Europe and in the world specific for this sector, which certifies quality system, product, safety and environment.

It was set up at the end of 1994 and it is a no-profit association. It was promoted by UNIC, the National Tanning Association, and its members are all the interested parties: Italian associations of footwear, leather goods and furniture manufacturers, as well as the Experimental Station for the Industry of Leather and Tanning Materials of Naples, UNI (the Italian National Standards Body) and CNR (the Research National Council).

Its seat is Milan, via Brisa 3, phone +39 2 8055855 - telefax +39 2 72000072.

Purposes

I.CE.C. proposes the diffusion of quality, safety and environing respect; for this reason, I.CE.C. gives a great importance to training and to common studies as necessary steps for the growth and the maturation of the sector and its firms: in other words, I.CE.C. tries to serve its field in a complete, specialised and professional way.

It works in accordance with the international principles issued by ISO (International Standards Organisation), with the instructions of the European Union and with the CEN standards (European Committee of Standardisation), also in order to facilitate the mutual recognition of certifications, that is one of its aims.

It manages the scheme for granting the I.CE.C. certification, with the aim to increase:

- assurance and competition of firms within the market,

- market transparency,

- customer's protection and level of satisfaction at each level.

I.CE.C. proposes the certification for quality systems of products, processes and services, as well as a certification regarding safety and environment. It also carries out a considerable informative and spreading activity concerning the certified firms, through the main national and international magazines (or other informative channels) of the sector or linked to it, to allow a very wide diffusion of the certified firms' names and of their products.

Structure

I.CE.C. is organised according to what prescribed in the European Standard EN 45000 for the certification bodies; it also follows ISO, UNI and EAC (European organisation of accrediting bodies) indications.

It has requested SINCERT accreditation with regard to quality systems.

I.CE.C. certification

Quality systems

I.CE.C. certifies in accordance with UNI EN ISO standards 9001, 9002 and 9003. For this aim all its inspectors are qualified AICQ-SICEV and they have followed formative courses on tanning sector; moreover, they are supported by specialists of the sector and by quality experts coming from the Experimental Station for the Industry of Leather and Tanning Materials of Naples.

Product

I.CE.C. prepared some product certification schemes, which allow to put the I.CE.C. conformity mark on leather as guarantee of characteristics and quality of leather itself and to increase the value of the final product. For example, it can be reminded the certification of leather to be used in footwear industry in accordance with the UNI standard.

Environment

As far as the environment is concerned, I.CE.C. is preparing some certification schemes based on CEE Rules 1836/93 (EMAS) and on ISO 14000 or BS 7750 standards.

Whom is I.CE.C. addressed?

To firms in tannery field and to sectors linked to it, which look for quality, excellence and competitivity in the national and international markets.

I.CE.C. works in a very specialised way, in order to be the certifying reference point and to offer to firms the best possibility of growth and to the market, to institutions and to customers the best guarantee of technical competence and of transparency.