Accreditation is a process in which certification of competency, authority, or credibility is presented.
Organizations that issue credentials or certify third parties against standards are themselves formally accredited by accreditation bodies.
Hence they are sometimes known as "accredited certification bodies". The accreditation process ensures that their certification practices are acceptable, typically meaning that they are competent to test and certify third parties, behave ethically and employ suitable quality assurance.
In everyday language the terms Accreditation and Certification are often used interchangeably. However, these terms have specific meanings.
ISO's formal definition of accreditation is "third party attestation related to a conformity assessment body conveying formal demonstration of its competence to carry out specific conformity assessment tasks." (ISO/ IEC 17000:2004)
Certification is "third party attestation related to products, processes, systems or persons." (ISO/ IEC 17000:2004)
Accredited Organizations are known as Conformity Assessment Bodies (or CABs).
Accredited CABs provide certification and inspection services to organizations.
Most Commonly the certified management systems
Generic Management Systems which are applicable to all organizations irrespective of nature of activities and Services.
1. Quality Management Systems (QMS - ISO 9001)
2. Environmental Management Systems (EMS - ISO 14001)
3. Occupational Heath and Safety Management System (OHS - 18001)
4. Energy Management System (EnMS - ISO 50000)
Sector Specific Management Systems which are applicable to only those organizations with respective to nature of activities and Services.
1. Food Safety Management System (FSMS - ISO 22000)
2. Information Security Management System (ISMS - ISO 27001)
3. Technical Specifications for Automobile Industries (TS/ISO - 16949)
4. Medical Devices -- Quality Management Systems(ISO - 13485)
5. Learning Services for Non-formal Education and Training (ISO - 29990)
A typical process is as follows :
Initial enquiry
Preliminary response
Submission of application request together with administration fee. Please note: Applicants are expected to comply with the requirements of applicable standards (e.g. ISO 17021). Personnel competence will require demonstration.
Application performance of accreditation routines dependent upon assessment and certifying standards.
Send manual, procedures, require formats or applicable documents in hard or softcopy.
We shall review and comment. If necessary we will require you to amend and respond before the next step.
Demonstrate impartiality of your organization in respect of independence from 'related bodies' and that it is a legal entity.
For the first six assessments you must advise BQACS before hand that you intend to carry out an assessment.
You send us photocopies / e-mails of all the documents related to those assessment and certification assignments demonstrating compliance with the documents that we had earlier reviewed.
We shall issue a draft accreditation certificate. Your accreditation reference will be defined at this time. This will be subject to a satisfactory site witness of your activity.
BQACS witnesses your next assessment and certification activity.
You conduct a further four assessments and send us copies of the paperwork.
We witness the next convenient assessment.
During the course of the preceding actions we would have expected to conduct several face to face meetings and visits to your operating premises.
Issue of accreditation certificate if appropriate.
You continue to assess and certificate but don't need to send paperwork.
We will monitor the level of your activity and conduct accreditation reviews to suit.
You must inform us of all certification activity.
Ongoing surveillance and accreditation including allocation of accreditation numbers.
Accreditation standards are usually regarded as optimal and achievable.
Accreditation provides a visible commitment by an organization to improve the quality of product and/or services, ensure a safe environment and continually work to reduce risks.
Independent Evaluations contributes to the organizations Success.
Accreditation has gained worldwide attention as an effective quality evaluation and management tool.
Confidence in the market place and in our public services is essential. Trust is placed in the products and services often without a second thought by the customer, such are the regulations and standards against which products are manufactured and services provided
Using the accredited route has the advantage of a single transparent and repeatable approach. Over time this should improve consistency, resulting in better risk management. At the same time it should eliminate the cost of reinventing the wheel, thus contributing to the drive for open and modern government.
Accreditation provides an alternative means of ensuring the reliability of activities that have the potential to impact on public confidence or the national reputation.
Companies seek independent evaluations either through choice (to reduce the risk of product failure for example) or as a consequence of legal requirements (such as health and safety regulations).
Most commonly these evaluations are calibration of equipment, product testing, and inspection of equipment and certification of quality management systems.