More than 600 participants present at Exponor
4th APCER Meeting
      in search of quality excellence

Statements about the impact of certification
set the tone for the discussion


On 3 July 2003, the Portuguese Certification Association held, the fourth edition of the APCER Meeting, in association with the Portuguese Business Association (AEP), at the Exponor ‘s auditorium in Matosinhos – Oporto - Portugal, under the theme “Searching for sustainable excellence”.

The initiative, with the presence of Nigel Croft, a reputed international specialist/expert, was directed at the quality, environment and security managers, as well as auditors, trainers, consultants, administrators/executives, managing directors and entrepreneurs/businessmen from a vast variety of public and private sectors.

“The purpose of this sort of meeting is to stimulate organizations to make the transition to the ISO 9001:2000 standard, since the transition period will end in a few months, as well as to encourage and share testimony from companies where the positive impact of the certification can be verified”, stated Mário Secca, President of APCER’s Administration.

For the more than 600 participants, APCER prepared a programme composed of four panels. In the first panel – “Transition ISO 9001:2000” – Galp Energy and Visabeira Group offered their statements; Brandão Guerreiro was the certified auditor responsible for encouraging the audience to debate the advantages of being a certified auditor, in the panel entitled “Auditors and Audits – Added Value”.

The meeting continued in the begining of the afternoon, over the subject “Environment, Health and Security: Responsability of all of us”, with interventions from representatives of the enterprises “Fernandes & Terceiro” (graphic arts) and “Tegael” (telecommunications, gas and electricity). The perspectives over the “Future of Certification” was the subject of the intervention by Luís Fonseca (APCER ‘s general director), and Nigel Croft, who was also in charge of moderating the two debates that ended the first two panels.

Isabel Martins
Marketing, APCER – Portugal








Mário Secca,
APCER’s President