A comprehensive survey of fire safety professionals has revealed significant shortcomings in current third-party certification schemes, with 60% of respondents reporting issues with their existing providers and 82% demanding greater transparency in certification processes.
The findings, published in a new whitepaper by fire testing specialists United Kingdom Testing & Certification Ltd. (UKTC), highlight persistent problems in the construction industry, eight years after the Grenfell Tower tragedy that claimed 72 lives and exposed systemic failures in product certification and safety assurance.
A survey of fire safety event attendees in 2024 uncovered troubling feedback about legacy certification schemes, with professionals describing them as having, “inconsistent positions”, “lack of transparency”, and providing, “poor value for money service”. 75% of respondents indicated they assess certification body credibility primarily through UKAS accreditation status and regulatory compliance.
The whitepaper’s author, Andrew Hutchison, Operations Director at UKTC, said: “Despite the proliferation of third-party certification schemes, the sector still suffers from dangerous opacity.
“Field of Application reports, classification reports and test data are routinely withheld from the public, forcing specifiers and contractors to make critical safety decisions in the dark.”
In response to challenges highlighted within the survey, UKTC, which was acquired by the SOCOTEC Group earlier in 2025, has launched UKTC ensure®.
The scheme is the first third-party certification programme designed explicitly around the principles of the Golden Thread framework, recommended by Dame Judith Hackitt’s “Building a Safer Future” report. Backed by UKAS accreditation under ISO 17065, UKTC ensure® makes sure every performance claim is traceable and every certificate is verifiable.
Further innovative features of UKTC ensure® include, the complete publication of supporting documentation, such as Field of Application reports and classification reports, real-time updates with robust version control, a secure digital vault serving as a single source of truth for all certification documents and unambiguous product marking with QR code access to performance data.
The benefit of UKTC ensure’s scheme, is that both British (BS) & European (EN) test evidence is accepted, alongside Extended Field of Application Reports. This hugely reduces the barrier to entry when it comes to joining the ensure scheme, as well as creating an open and transparent pathway to certification and independent verification of the quality of products.
The whitepaper highlights that the mandate for change is clear and non-negotiable. As stated in the Paul Morrell OBE & Anneliese Day KC Report: “It is for product manufacturers to develop products that do the job expected of them, and to market them honestly, making no false claims; it is for Conformity Assessment Bodies to test and assess those products against defined specifications, impartially and independently.”
Hutchison added: “The lessons of Grenfell and subsequent inquiries cannot be ignored.
“Too often, critical voices and concerns were missed or dismissed, which cannot continue. Real change is long overdue, and change starts with transparent certification.”
The scheme represents a fundamental shift toward the digital, accessible, and version-controlled evidence framework outlined in multiple government reports and British Standards, including BS 8644-1:2022 for managing fire safety information throughout a product’s lifecycle.
Matthew Marriott, CEO of SOCOTEC UK and Ireland, said: “The release of this whitepaper highlights several concerning shortcomings in the third-party certification market at present. There’s a clear requirement for radical change, and we look forward to seeing UKTC ensure® have a real positive change on the sector.”
To download the full whitepaper and learn more about UKTC ensure®, visit https://www.uktc-ensure.com/.
About the Author
SOCOTEC UK & Ireland
SOCOTEC UK is a network of industry-leading experts we empower ambitious businesses at every stage of the asset lifecycle.
With 2,000 team members, working with over 5,000 companies, everything we do is for the benefit of our clients, who to us become partnered with our entire group.
Whether we’re carrying out a one-off inspection or playing our part in creating a city’s most inspiring spaces, our clients trust our people’s extensive expertise and integrity. Whether in the field, in the lab, on-site or in the courtroom, our advice is built on a foundation of substance.
From testing, inspection and compliance to technical expertise, real estate and risk management, all our services come with a focus on technological innovation and sustainable delivery. We distil and share the most complex data in ways which are accessible and ready to action.
SOCOTEC UK is grounded in real-lived expertise, and proud of our team’s tenure, who often start on-site or in-lab and grow with our business.
For us, integrity means reports backed by people on the ground, legal advice backed by the largest testing facilities in Europe, and a team committed to problem-solving, delivering world-class projects accurately and safely, day in, day out.
