Digital certificates
VSL issues digital certificates with an electronic signature to ensure authenticity. This is in accordance with the EU Electronic Signature Directive (1999/93/EC). The signature is an electronic seal on the document that prohibits making alterations. Any alteration breaks this seal and is shown in the document. This enables anyone to verify authenticity and makes it possible to distribute the certificate without difficulty.
In Acrobat Reader (available for free download here) the document header displays the document’s validity. More details about the electronic signature are given in the signature window. Click on the electronic seal to open the signature window.
Certification committee
The VSL Certification Committee issues the certificates, ensures that the documents comply with the requirements of international standards for calibration (ISO/IEC 17025:2017), production of reference materials (ISO 17034:2016 / ISO Guide 31:2015 and ISO 6141:2015) and agreements with the International Committee on Weights and Measures (CIPM).
Reduction in paper use
Digital certificates, reports and validations of authenticity are another step in VSL’s ambition to work and communicate without using paper.