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iso27diy-corp/Corpus/Standards/ISO27x/ISO Certification Structure and Process.md

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ISO Certification: Structure and Process

ISO (International Organization for Standardization) does not itself certify organizations or offer certification services. Instead, a structured, multi-level system involving independent third parties is used to ensure that organizations can be recognized as “ISO-certified” for implementing ISO standards12.

Key Elements of the ISO Certification Construction

  • ISO Develops Standards, Not Certification

    • ISO’s role is to develop international standards (such as ISO 9001 for quality management), but it does not perform certification or issue certificates12.
    • The ISO logo cannot be used to indicate certification, and ISO does not authorize anyone to use its logo for this purpose1.

  • Certification Bodies

    • Certification is performed by independent organizations known as certification bodies (sometimes called registrars)342.
    • These bodies are responsible for auditing organizations to assess whether their management systems, products, or services comply with specific ISO standards34.
    • If the organization meets the requirements, the certification body issues a certificate confirming compliance34.

  • Accreditation Bodies

    • To ensure certification bodies themselves operate competently and impartially, they are accredited by accreditation bodies—usually one per country52.
    • Accreditation bodies evaluate and formally recognize certification bodies according to international standards, most notably ISO/IEC 17021 for management system certification52.
    • Accreditation provides assurance that the certification process is credible and internationally recognized52.

  • International Oversight

    • International organizations such as the International Accreditation Forum (IAF) and the International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (ILAC) oversee and harmonize the activities of accreditation bodies to ensure global consistency and mutual recognition of certificates152.

Certification Process Overview

The typical steps for an organization to become ISO-certified are:

  1. Develop and Implement the Management System
    • The organization designs and implements a management system that meets the chosen ISO standard’s requirements647.
  2. Internal Audit and Review
    • The organization conducts internal audits and management reviews to ensure compliance and effectiveness47.
  3. Select an Accredited Certification Body
    • The organization chooses an independent, accredited certification body to conduct the external audit41.
  4. External Audit
    • The certification body performs a thorough audit (often in two stages) to verify compliance with the ISO standard34.
  5. Certification Decision
    • If the audit is successful, the certification body issues an ISO certificate, typically valid for three years, subject to periodic surveillance audits34.

Summary Table: ISO Certification Structure

Role Function
ISO Develops standards; does not certify organizations
Certification Body Audits organizations and issues certificates if compliant
Accreditation Body Accredits certification bodies to ensure competence and impartiality
International Oversight IAF/ILAC harmonize accreditation globally for mutual recognition of certificates

Key Points

  • ISO does not certify organizations; certification is performed by independent, accredited certification bodies12.
  • Certification bodies are themselves accredited by national or regional accreditation bodies, ensuring their competence and impartiality52.
  • Accreditation bodies operate under international oversight to maintain global consistency152.
  • The ISO recognizes the system of certification and accreditation but does not issue certificates itself12.

This system ensures that ISO certification is credible, impartial, and internationally recognized, even though ISO itself is not directly involved in certifying organizations.