The Swiss Institute for Interlaboratory Proficiency symbolizes the professional execution of proficiency tests – trustworthy, uncomplicated, and customer-focused.

Proficiency testing is intended to demonstrate the competence and monitor the performance over time of laboratories, institutes and test centers with respect to specific measurements or analyses. More specifically, laboratories accredited according to ISO/IEC 17025 are required to demonstrate their successful participation in relevant interlaboratory comparisons. The international standard ISO/IEC 17011 demands that accreditation bodies, like for example SAS or DAKS, require laboratories to participate in proficiency tests and to take into account the proficiency test performance in their appraisals.

Participation in proficiency tests (PTs) provides the opportunity for laboratories to identify areas of weakness with regard to applied testing and measurement methods, effectiveness of training procedures and/or calibration of laboratory equipment and to apply remedial measures to improve their performance.  Furthermore the test results can be used to validate methods and procedures. This can help establish additional confidence of customers in the laboratory.

The need for sustained confidence in the performance of a given laboratory is not only crucial for the laboratory itself and its customers, but also for other stakeholders such as legislators, accreditation bodies and organizations responsible for defining laboratory requirements.