Safeguarding the integrity of the UL Mark

Gus Schaefer

Readers of Asia On the Mark are familiar with the UL family of Marks, be it the “UL in the Circle”, the “backwards RU” applied to recognized components, the Registered Firm Mark used by companies who have had their management systems assessed by UL, and a host of other UL certification Marks. When a company applies a UL Mark to the product they manufacture, it is their declaration that it fully complies with all applicable UL safety requirements, and that it has been produced under UL’s comprehensive Follow-Up Services inspection program. Indeed, UL’s most important asset is the confidence and trust that buyers and consumers have in the UL Mark, and for this reason UL goes to extraordinary lengths to safeguard its integrity.

As the use of UL’s safety certification services continues to expand throughout Asia, and especially in China, UL is launching a comprehensive set of initiatives designed to maintain the integrity of the UL Mark, and to assure that it is not misused. These efforts include:

Conducting training seminars for manufacturers on the proper use of the UL Mark. The first seminar in this series — a 2-day Wire and Cable conference — will be held on November 9-10, 2006 in China.

Continuing and expanding anti-counterfeiting initiatives, working with government agencies in China, the United States, Canada, Europe and other countries. UL’s work in this area has resulted in significant seizures of product in the US and Canada, and criminal prosecution of both companies and individuals responsible for counterfeiting the UL Mark.

Enhancing UL’s Follow-Up Inspection programs to intensify monitoring of companies with a history of producing non-compliant products, and to recognize companies that demonstrate a good compliance record.

Working closely with the retail community and product importers to enlist their assistance and support for UL’s Mark integrity and anti-counterfeiting efforts.

Expanding communication and cooperation with both Chinese and US government bodies on Mark integrity and product compliance issues.

The vast majority of UL clients take their responsibility for the proper use of the UL Mark very seriously, and have implemented good management practices and quality systems to assure that the UL Mark is only applied to compliant products. Where companies have questions about the proper use of the UL Mark, or need additional guidance or education, UL will provide support on either a company-by-company or industry wide basis. And where UL finds that the Mark has been misused, it will take whatever steps necessary to address the situation.

For over a century the UL Mark has meant safety, integrity, and trust. By working collaboratively with industry, governments and the supply chain, UL will work to assure that the UL Mark will continue to be one of the most trusted and accepted certification marks in the world.

By Gus Schaefer, Sr. Vice President & Public Safety Officer