FAQ RAL Quality Marks

Consumers are increasingly faced with difficult decisions because the range of products and services on offer both domestically and abroad is constantly increasing. The RAL Quality Marks offer safe orientation and protection from making an expensive mistake.

RAL Quality Marks

• are a visible, independent and objective validation of the particular quality of a product or service. That means that they stand for particularly high quality and due to their independence they are particularly trustworthy.
• demonstrate that a product or service fulfils all of the important requirements of these extremely high quality assurance characteristics. Therefore, consumers can be secure in the knowledge that the strict regulations encompass the essential characteristics that are important for the utilisation of a product or service.
• stand for the reliable observance of these high quality standards through constant self-regulation and the neutral independent monitoring that manufacturers and service providers submit themselves to voluntarily. This ensures the reliability of RAL Quality Marks.

Quality Marks are awarded by Quality Assurance Associations approved by RAL.

RAL Quality Marks are reliable, independent of companies and up to date. They are based on the fundamental guidelines for Quality Marks. The system of RAL Quality Assurance guarantees neutrality and objectivity. Quality Marks are therefore impartial, objective indicators of Quality Assurance, i.e. continuously monitored quality. The advantage for consumers, companies and public clients is that products and services awarded an RAL Quality Mark signal particularly high quality, taking into account values such as environmental compatibility and consultancy expertise.

RAL Quality Marks are subject to the system of RAL Quality Assurance, through which they are approved, awarded and monitored. They are characterised by reliability, neutrality and relevance. As a consumer, company or public client, you can rely on the Quality Marks to guarantee products and services of an exceptionally high standard. The quality level always exceeds the legal and normative requirements. This distinguishes them from other quality labels, which are not subject to an objective, independent labelling system and therefore do not provide reliable information about the quality of products and services.

In the brochure ‘The Path to Creating a RAL Quality Mark‘, we have summarised the key steps involved in creating a new Quality Mark. Further questions about the approval process for a RAL Quality Mark can be sent by e-mail to: ral-institut@ral.de

RAL Quality Marks are easy to recognise: They included the RAL logo with the endorsement “Quality Mark (Gütezeichen)”, supplemented by an image/wording for the product or service category. About 140 Quality Marks are maintained using this corporate design (CD). In addition, there are Quality Marks issued in another design. Feel free to find out more about all RAL Quality Marks.

There are approx. 155 RAL Quality Marks from all economic sectors:

• Quality Marks from the construction industry
• Quality Marks from the agricultural and food industries
• Quality Marks from the field of services
• Other Quality Marks

Over 9,000 German and foreign companies from all areas of the economy use RAL Quality Marks in the German, European and worldwide markets.

There are currently around 155 RAL Quality Marks, which are awarded by 115 RAL Quality Assurance Associations. You can find all RAL Quality Marks in the overview.

1. RAL Quality Marks stand for unambiguous labelling. They provide transparency and security through objective and verifiable quality criteria – the adherence to which is constantly monitored.
2. RAL Quality Marks deliver what they promise. Because that’s what the RAL Quality Marks system (Gütezeichensystem) stands for.
3. Under the auspices of RAL, the Quality Assurance and Text Specifications developed by the Quality Assurance Association are passed on to the relevant professional and trade groups for their comments. In general, this involves those associations for consumers and users affected by the quality assurance process, government authorities and associations representing those parties offering the products or services for sale, as well as testing bodies and if required other specialist institutions and organisations. The quality specifications for the approval of a product or service are always above and beyond the current legal regulations and standards. Adherence to these quality criteria is regularly monitored and documented by the companies themselves, as well as being continually monitored by independent bodies.

Here you will find the list of RAL Regulations. Quality Assurance and Test Specifications and other RAL publications can be obtained from DIN Media GmbH for a fee.

The RAL Quality Assurance system ensures that the RAL Quality Marks represent particularly high-quality products and services. The Quality Assurance and Test Specifications cover the characteristics that are important for the utilisation of a product or service carrying the RAL Quality Marks. RAL defines these specifications by involving the institutions affected by the RAL Quality Marks, such as business and consumer organisations, authorities and testing institutions. Manufacturers and service providers, as well as independent testers regularly monitor that the regulations are being observed. Infringements against the regulations are penalised, which can even lead to the withdrawal of the RAL Quality Mark.

As a manufacturer or service provider, a RAL Quality Mark helps you stand out from your competitors because it indicates a special level of quality and customer-orientation. This provides you with a clear competitive advantage.

• RAL Quality Marks offer clear, transparent and unambiguous product and performance descriptions. Many public authorities thus recognise them as a sign of a bidder’s eligibility for invitations to tender.
• The Quality Mark makes it possible to compare bids and provides public authorities with security when issuing invitations to tender.
• The Quality Mark demonstrates that companies have voluntarily committed themselves to observing individual and strict quality standards which are constantly monitored by independent parties.
• The company thus stands for fair, honest and exemplary behaviour.
• The company uses the RAL Quality Mark to show customers that its products and services meet the highest standards of quality. This gives the company a competitive advantage and sets it apart from its competitors.
• A key benefit is the rigorous Quality Assurance process, which ultimately leads to cost reductions and fewer complaints. The sophisticated quality testing system identifies and rectifies defects promptly.

There are about 155 RAL Quality Marks across all economic sectors. You can find a comprehensive summary in the Overview of Quality Marks. If a RAL Quality Mark does not yet exist for your group of products or category of services, you can apply for the creation of a RAL Quality Mark (see question “How can I apply for a RAL Quality Mark for my products and services?”).

No, there can only ever be one RAL Quality Mark for a particular product or service.

RAL Quality Marks are awarded to manufacturers and service providers by the RAL approved Quality Assurance Associations:

• Apply to the relevant Quality Assurance Association for the RAL Quality Mark for your product or service.
• If it is determined during an initial inspection that the Quality Assurance and Test Specifications are being adhered to then the Quality Assurance Association awards the RAL Quality Mark.
• Adherence with the Quality Assurance Specifications then needs to be constantly documented. In addition, neutral testing institutions or certified experts regularly carry out independent monitoring.

You can find the contact details for the Quality Assurance Associations in the Overview of Quality Marks or via the search function for quality marks.

If there is not yet a RAL Quality Mark for your products or services, you can apply to RAL for the approval of a new Quality Mark:

• Submit an application to RAL for a Quality Mark for a product or service for which there is not yet any existing Quality Mark. You can send this informally by email to guetezeichen@ral.de.
• RAL will then define the requirements for the new quality mark in an individual approval process.
• Found a Quality Assurance Association with at least seven members.

You can find further information in the brochure „The Path to Creating a RAL Quality Mark“.

RAL Quality Assurance is the system from which all RAL Quality Marks are recognised and awarded. It distinguishes the RAL Quality Marks from all other labelling. RAL Quality Assurance covers the specification of quality regulations, the organisation of activities for monitoring quality (self-monitoring and monitoring by independent bodies) and penalising infringements, as well as the labelling of quality and the establishment and regulated use of RAL Quality Marks.

1. RAL Quality Assurance also creates a voluntary regulatory culture where there are no legal regulations or standards. Consumers are also provided with orientation through RAL Quality Marks in those areas where no stipulated quality standards exist.
2. An advantage is the independent neutral approval procedure for fulfilling the quality requirements for each product or service. This is ensured by the fact that RAL integrates relevant institutions, such as associations, authorities and testing bodies, into the process for determining the Quality Assurance and Test Specifications.
3. Quality assurance is also becoming increasing important from an ecological standpoint, in order to provide consumers with orientation in this area and thus ensuring suppliers receive market acceptance and success in the marketplace.
4. The quality assurance systems are also checked to ensure that the requirements continue to conform to the latest technical developments and market changes. When this is not the case then they are amended (revised/expanded).
5. Conformity with the Quality Assurance and Test Specifications is continuously checked through self-monitoring and monitoring carried out by independent bodies.

The principles for Quality Assurance are defined by the regulations recognised by RAL in the relevant Quality Assurance and Test Specifications. These are used by the Quality Assurance Association as the obligatory basis for the use of the RAL Quality Mark.

An overview of the quality principles can be found in the list of RAL Regulations (in German).

The RAL Quality Assurance and Test Specifications set down the requirements (quality regulations) that products and services must adhere to in order to be able to hold the RAL Quality Mark, for example:

• Particularly high and consistent quality of all materials, sizes and finished products, as well as services
• Long service life, meaning a durable construction delivering a long life cycle
• Reliable functions, meaning safe operation and reliable functionality in everyday usage
• Staff qualifications
• Sustainability aspects of products and services
• and much more

The RAL Quality Assurance and Test Specifications are defined under the auspices of RAL by incorporating those institutions affected, such as industry associations, consumer organisations and German Federal and State Ministries. In the process, all characteristics important for the creation or use of a product or service are taken into account. Therefore, consumers can assume that RAL Quality Marks are independent and reliable.

RAL Quality Assurance Associations are an amalgamation of particularly quality-conscious manufacturers and service providers. They are the organisation recognised by the RAL German Institute for Quality Assurance and Certification (RAL Deutsches Institut für Gütesicherung und Kennzeichnung) for the implementation and monitoring of the quality assurance process.

A Quality Assurance Association is the legally responsible association recognised by RAL for implementing the RAL quality assurance process for a particular product group or service category.

They issue companies with the right to carry RAL Quality Marks, who then voluntarily submit to adhering to the quality regulations and quality monitoring process. The members of the Quality Assurance Associations are manufacturers or suppliers whose products or services are authorised to hold the relevant RAL Quality Mark.

RAL currently combines 115 Quality Assurance Associations with around 9,000 member companies from all areas of the economy.

First, select the relevant Quality Mark for your product or service from the overview. You will also find the responsible Quality Assurance Association there. Contact the relevant association directly to request an application form.

Public authorities can be sure that products and services carrying a RAL Quality Mark fulfil the requirements defined in the Quality Assurance and Test Specifications. Holding a corresponding RAL Quality Mark can thus provide proof that the requirements stipulated in the public invitation to tender have been met. In contrast, other companies need to provide separate evidence of their compliance. You can read about the clear advantages for invitations to tender here.