Defining Certification and Accreditation
Accreditation and certification are two distinct links in a chain joining standard setters to end users and consumers. The definition of these terms is given in EN ISO/IEC 17000:2004:
- Accreditation: third-party attestation related to a conformity assessment body conveying formal demonstration of its competence to carry out specific conformity assessment tasks
- Certification: third-party attestation related to products, processes, systems or persons
Conformity Assessment
In certain cases, it can be a legal requirement to have a product, service or process tested. Where this does not apply, many firms still decide that it would make a stronger statement to have their compliance certified to show that the criteria of a standard have been met in full. The benefits of this include:
- boosting an organisation's reputation in the marketplace
- providing added assurance to existing and potential customers
- meeting the prerequisites of large companies and public-sector organisations
The Process of Certification
A given standard will usually specify how testing is to be carried out. This establishes a commonly understood benchmark to ensure that consistent results are obtained, wherever the product is tested. Although manufacturers might carry out testing at their own premises, specialised equipment or an independent third party is sometimes required. There are a number of companies and bodies able to provide this service.
Certification Bodies
While many organisations offer independent certification or verification services, it is best to contract the services of a body recognised by the United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS). This recognition demonstrates that the competence, impartiality and performance capability of the certification body have been assessed and acknowledged.
