The National Certification Body of Jamaica (NCBJ) is encouraging Jamaican businesses to make quality a central part of their growth strategy as they seek to improve performance, strengthen customer confidence and compete more effectively in local and international markets.

The call comes as the NCBJ observes World Quality Week 2026, November 9–13, under the theme ‘Quality: Powering Performance’, with a series of activities focused on quality, certification and continuous improvement.

An arm of the Bureau of Standards Jamaica (BSJ), the NCBJ provides certification services that enable organisations to demonstrate conformity with recognised standards and requirements.

Navenia Wellington-Ford, manager of the NCBJ, said World Quality Week provides an important opportunity for organisations to recognise the role quality plays in strengthening day-to-day operations and supporting long-term performance.

“World Quality Week gives organisations an opportunity to reflect on where they are, where they want to go and what systems they may need to strengthen to get there. Quality should be viewed as an investment in stronger performance, greater confidence and long-term organizational success,” Wellington-Ford said.

She noted that certification provides recognition that an organisation is meeting specified requirements and can support stronger internal systems and performance.

“Being certified gives organisations an independent way to demonstrate that recognized requirements are being met. It also encourages them to maintain the systems and processes needed to support consistency and accountability,” said Wellington-Ford.

As part of the week’s activities, the Next Generation Innovators Forum will be held online via Zoom on Tuesday, engaging emerging professionals and innovators on the importance of quality and its role in future organizational success.

The Quality in Action Celebratory Luncheon will follow at the Terra Nova All-Suite Hotel on Thursday where 14 NCBJ clients will be recognised.

The honourees include 12 organisations from Jamaica and two regional clients from St Kitts and Turks and Caicos, reflecting the NCBJ’s reach beyond Jamaica and its continued support for organizations committed to quality and certification.

The week will conclude with the Quality Powering Performance Auditors’ Forum, to be held online via Zoom on Friday.

Executive Director of the Bureau of Standards Jamaica, Dr Velton Gooden commended the NCBJ for its continued work in supporting organizations through certification and promoting stronger quality practices.

“I applaud the NCBJ team for the work they continue to do in helping Jamaican organisations strengthen their systems and demonstrate conformity with recognized requirements. World Quality Week provides another important opportunity to highlight the value of certification and continuous improvement,” said Gooden.

He noted that the emphasis on quality also complements the wider conversation being advanced by BSJ through its From Standards to Success campaign, launched in October to help businesses better understand the Standards Value Chain and the support available to them at different stages of development.

“Through the campaign, we are helping businesses better understand how standards guidance, testing and other quality services can support them in strengthening what they offer and preparing for growth. Together with the work being done by NCBJ, this reinforces the message that quality must be deliberately built into the way our businesses and organizations operate if they are to compete and grow with confidence,” added Gordon.