Certification Bodies:

Accreditation scheme for Certification Bodies (CB’s) cover Systems Certification and Product certification. Accreditation of Certification Bodies (system certification) is based on ISO/IEC 17021-1: Conformity assessment Requirements for bodies providing audit and certification of management systems. Part 1: Requirements, ISO/IEC TS 17021-2: Competence requirements for auditing and certification of environmental management systems, ISO/IEC TS 17021-3: Competence requirements for auditing and certification of quality management systems and ISO/TS 22003: Food Safety Management Systems – Requirements for bodies providing audit and certification of food safety management systems. Accreditation of Product Certification Bodies is based on ISO/IEC 17065 – General requirements for bodies operating product certification systems. Management System Certification provided by these CB’s include certification of Quality Management Systems (QMS), Environmental Management Systems (EMS), Food Safety Management Systems (FSMS), Occupational Health & Safety Management Systems (OHSAS), Energy Management System certification, Information Technology Service Management System certification, Information Security Management System certification, etc. Accreditation of Certification Bodies assures the reliability and acceptance of certifications issued by these bodies in International Trade and in Domestic markets.

Inspection Bodies:

Accreditation scheme for Inspection Bodies is based on ISO/IEC 17020 – General Criteria for the operation of various types of bodies performing inspection. This scheme provides a formal recognition to an inspection body for its services for integrity , reliability and worldwide acceptance of the reports issued by the IB.

Organizations required to conduct various types of inspections for regulatory purposes are accredited under this scheme.

Through the establishment of IACCA Accreditation Schemes an effective mechanism is developed for regulatory authorities to have the necessary conformity assessment functions performed by other bodies both in the public and private sector, where such bodies have been assessed for competence and credibility by the IACCA. It also provides confidence in foreign buyers (importers), who can rely on the reports of these accredited IB , before accepting them.