What It Is

ISO/IEC 17025:2017 is the international standard specifying general requirements for the competence, impartiality, and consistent operation of testing and calibration laboratories. It applies a risk-based, performance-oriented approach tying management controls to technical validity of results, covering testing, calibration, and sampling activities.

Key Components

• Eight main clauses: general (impartiality/confidentiality), structural, resource, process, and management system requirements.
• Focus on personnel competence, facilities/equipment, metrological traceability, method validation, uncertainty evaluation, and proficiency testing.
• Built on risk-based thinking; Option A/B for management systems (standalone or ISO 9001-aligned).
• Leads to accreditation by bodies like ILAC signatories, attesting technical competence in defined scopes.

Why Organizations Use It

• Enables market access, regulatory acceptance, and international result recognition.
• Mitigates risks from invalid results in safety-critical domains.
• Builds stakeholder trust via demonstrated impartiality and traceability.
• Provides competitive edge through credible, defensible outputs.

Implementation Overview

• Phased PDCA approach: gap analysis, documentation, technical validation, audits.
• Suited for labs across industries; requires metrology expertise, PT participation.
• Involves accreditation assessments with witnessed activities.

What It Is

MAS Technology Risk Management (TRM) Guidelines (January 2021) are supervisory guidelines issued by the Monetary Authority of Singapore for financial institutions. They provide principles-based guidance on managing technology and cyber risks, emphasizing governance, controls, and resilience to protect confidentiality, integrity, and availability (CIA) of systems and data. The risk-based approach requires proportional implementation based on institution size, complexity, and exposure.

Key Components

• 15 main sections covering governance, risk frameworks, secure development, IT operations, resilience, access controls, cryptography, cyber defense, testing, and audit.
• Synthesized 12 core principles like board accountability, asset classification, third-party oversight, and defense-in-depth.
• No fixed controls; focuses on outcomes with independent assurance via audit.

Why Organizations Use It

Financial institutions adopt TRM for regulatory supervision, avoiding fines and enforcement. It enhances resilience, reduces cyber incidents, builds customer trust, and supports digital transformation securely.

Implementation Overview

Involves asset inventories, risk assessments, control design across lifecycle, testing regimes, and third-party due diligence. Applies to all MAS-supervised FIs; phased rollout (6-24 months) with board oversight and continuous monitoring. No formal certification, but MAS reviews observance.