World Accreditation Day: how SMEDA’s landmark project gains traction?  

The Small and Medium Enterprises Development Authority (SMEDA) has intensified its efforts to help small

The Small and Medium Enterprises Development Authority (SMEDA) has intensified its efforts to help small and medium enterprises obtain internationally recognized certifications through its landmark ‘SME Certification & International Accreditation Grant Programme’.

SMEDA’s efforts to reach out a maximum number of entrepreneurs gain resonance as World Accreditation Day 2026 is being marked under the theme “Innovation, Trust and Sustainability: The Power of Accreditation” on June 9.

The day highlights the critical role accreditation plays in building confidence in products, services and systems. Established jointly by the International Accreditation Forum and the International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation, the global observance (under Global ACI) recognizes how accreditation promotes trust, facilitates trade and supports sustainable economic growth.

SMEDA, in line with the Government of Pakistan’s renewed commitment to strengthening the SME sector by enabling businesses to meet global standards, improve competitiveness and enhance their export potential, has helped several enterprises overcome the financial and procedural barriers that often prevent them from obtaining international certifications.

“SMEDA is offering 70 percent matching grant to cover the certification cost up to Rs800,000 and related consultancy cost up to Rs200,000 under the project. The response from entrepreneurs has been highly encouraging as businesses from diverse sectors and regions of the country have applied for certification support, reflecting growing awareness of the importance of compliance,” according to officials overseeing the project.

Officials says the initiative aims to help SMEs, especially women and startups, acquire certifications such as ISO standards, HACCP, Halal Certification and CE Marking. The programme, they emphasize, is being implemented through a transparent mechanism, with applications processed on a first-come, first-served basis while ensuring compliance with eligibility requirements.

Officials say the team has received more than 125 applications from SMEs from several parts of the country and 36 of these have been approved by a committee after scrutiny. Most beneficiaries are expected to get the promised grant shortly, they confirm.

A key feature of the initiative is special focus on women-led enterprises, start-ups and businesses operating in underserved regions, add officials.

They say SMEDA has also launched extensive awareness and outreach efforts, including training sessions, media engagement and digital campaigns, to educate entrepreneurs about the value of certification and compliance. More than 1,100 entrepreneurs have already been facilitated through awareness and capacity-building activities related to the project with the support of the National Compliance Centre, they say.

With renewed focus, they say, SMEDA and NCC are going to start new training sessions of 3 to 5 days very soon.

Industry experts believe that wider adoption of international standards can significantly strengthen Pakistan’s export ecosystem by enabling SMEs to integrate into global value chains and access new markets. They note that in an increasingly competitive global environment and accreditation have become essential tools for building trust and demonstrating quality.

In order to encourage and facilitate more and more entrepreneurs, SMEDA offers a convenient process through SME Registration Portal (SMERP). SMEs can apply through (www.smeda.org) or the SME Registration Portal (https://smerp.smeda.org) to be part of the journey toward formalization and export readiness.