At its last meeting in autumn 2015, the EA Certification Committee (EA CC) elected Varpu Rantanen, from the Finnish national accreditation body, as its Vice-Chair.
Further to the election of Kevin Belson (UKAS) as the EA CC Chair in May 2015, a new Vice-Chair had to be elected at the Committee’s meeting in October 2015 to assist him in managing the daily operation of the Committee as from the end of 2015. After she volunteered, Varpu Rantanen was appointed with sustained congratulating applause by EA CC Members.
Before FINAS, Varpu Rantanen worked for several years as quality manager in the private sector and as management system consultant. As an accreditation manager and lead assessor in FINAS, she has been the FINAS representative in the EA CC since EA CC was established. She has always been taking a most active part in EA CC activities and discussions. As, notably, an expert member of the EACC EU ETS Network Group dedicated to Greenhouse Gas (GHG) issues, she was one of the trainers for the EA Peer-Evaluator Training on ISO 14065 (GHG Verification) held in September 2011 in Bern-Wabern, Switzerland.
Besides Varpu Rantanen is a member of the EA CC Management Group right from its establishment in 2013. Since then, she has been providing the Chair, the Vice-Chair and the conveners of EA CC working groups with her expert contribution in international matters.
Actually Varpu Rantanen is also busily involved in the IAF Technical Committee (TC). In particular she participates in IAF TC WGs GHG, Food, Management System, Products and Persons certification. Moreover she convenes IAF TC WG Forest. Most often she acts as an EA CC liaison person to IAF, whose meetings she regularly attends to report on some EA CC statements or discussions.
Varpu Rantanen will take part in her first EA CC meeting as the Committee’s Vice-Chair on 9-10 March 2016 in Vilnius, where Kevin Belson as well will chair his first meeting.
Best wishes to the new tandem for successful meetings!