Although we constantly hear about organisations becoming certified to an ISO standard, sometimes things can become a bit complicated. Although the process of certification can become overwhelming it is important to be able to make the best decisions for your team and organisation. The first step is ensuring you understand all the phrases being passed around.
In this article we focus on accreditation and certification, and which is relevant to your organisation.
What is ISO?
The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) is a nongovernmental collaboration of national standard bodies of over 160 countries. Their main focus is developing international standards that ensure organisations are able to comply with local and international laws and regulations. Up until January of 2024, 25,176 standards have been published in total.
ISO Standards are used as best practice frameworks and are used as barriers to entry in certain sectors across the globe. This ensures that organisations are all operating on the same level.
ISO Accreditation
Accreditation is when an independent third-party conformity assessment provides recognition for the organisation’s ability to meet specific standards. For example, GCIS is accredited by the South African National Accreditation System (SANAS) to show that it has the necessary capabilities to perform ISO audits.
Accredited organisations require certain ISO certifications such as:
- ISO/IEC 17021-1:2015 is the standard that specifies requirements for certification bodies performing audits and certification of management systems.
- The ISO/IEC 17025:2017 standard specifies the general requirements for the competence, impartiality, and consistent operation of laboratories.
- ISO/IEC 17020:2012 standard is for inspection bodies that perform inspections and ensures that inspection bodies are competent and operate impartially.
Certification for Organisations
Certification refers to when an organisation has implemented an ISO Standard and has successfully completed the certification audit, and the certificate has been issued. ISO Certification is done by certification bodies and are usually done for ISO Management Systems such as:
- ISO 9001:2015 Quality Management Systems
- ISO 14001:2015 Environmental Management Systems
- ISO 45001:2018 Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems
- ISO/IEC 27001:2022 Information Security Management Systems
In conclusion, certification is when a certification body issues the certificate proving that a company is compliant with a standard; and organisations providing certification are to be accredited to ensure that certification is valid.
Which is Right for Your Organisation?
Depending on the standard and the goals of the organisation it will influence if an organisation requires certification or accreditation. If your organisation will not be providing certifications then accreditation is not relevant, but certification would be.
If you have any questions or need help deciding which one is best for you, reach out to one of our experts at 012 644 0142 or email us at admin@wwise.co.za and make the right decision today.