Inclusive Accreditation & Economic Opportunity | NAF Nepal
Democratizing Quality: Bridging the Technical Gap for Nepal’s Diverse Economy
Accreditation should never be a barrier that only the largest corporations can scale. At the Nepal Accreditation Foundation (NAF), we believe that an inclusive quality infrastructure is the key to resilient national growth.
Empowering SMEs and Rural Provinces
Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) are the backbone of Nepal’s economy, yet the complexities of ISO/IEC 17025 (General requirements for testing and calibration) can often feel inaccessible. Through the NAF Inclusion Initiative, we are providing subsidized technical training and simplified pathways for rural laboratories and inspection agencies to reach Level 3 accreditation status. Our goal is to ensure that a startup in Biratnagar or Pokhara has the same opportunity for global recognition as a firm in the capital.
Advancing Gender Equity in Technical Oversight
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) are core to our internal governance. We are actively recruiting and training women professionals to join our pool of Lead and Technical Assessors. By ensuring our technical committees reflect Nepal’s diverse professional landscape, we bring more comprehensive perspectives to the accreditation process, ensuring that conformity assessments are impartial, fair, and inclusive of all stakeholders.
Our Economic Opportunity Commitment
“We are committed to lowering the barriers to accreditation for women-led businesses and rural entrepreneurs, ensuring that quality standards serve as a bridge to global prosperity for all Nepalese citizens.”
Aligning with the 16th Five-Year Plan
Our initiatives directly support the Government of Nepal’s 16th Periodic Plan (2024/25–2028/29), which emphasizes structural transformation, social justice, and the expansion of production through enhanced workforce skills. By providing accessible training in Level 3 and Level 4 scope-specific criteria, NAF is creating a pool of highly skilled technical experts who will lead Nepal’s industrial sector into a more equitable future.