Modern supply chains are increasingly complex as companies seek to optimize costs while retaining flexibility. Supply chains that stretch across multiple countries and sites pose major challenges in terms of quality, compliance with regulations and standards relating to safety, as well as environmental and social responsibility. Given this complexity, reassurance in the measurements, tests, inspections and certifications that are performed in another jurisdiction or market sector is essential. With the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic at the end of 2019 , the need to ensure integrity of supply chains became even more acute. Standards and conformity assessment provide tools to deliver supply chain confidence.