About
Independent indicator of competence, reliability and technical competence
The difference between the scopes of ISO/IEC 17025, 17020, 17021-1 and 17065, and what each authority covers.
What accreditation is
Each activity area is subject to the standard suited to its own scope
Accreditation is the process by which an independent authority assesses the competence, impartiality and proficiency of organisations carrying out conformity assessment activities, in accordance with specific standards and technical criteria.
From testing and analysis laboratories to inspection bodies, from product and system certification activities to various conformity assessment services, each area of activity may be subject to standards and accreditation requirements specific to its own scope.
We view accreditation not merely as a certificate or title, but as an important element of reliability, technical proficiency, impartiality and a sustainable understanding of quality.
Accreditation scope
The standards we are accredited to
It is important that accreditation be assessed not merely at the organisational level, but for specific activities and scopes: different activities are handled under separate standards.
General Requirements for the Competence of Testing and Calibration Laboratories
Laboratory testing and calibration
General Criteria for the Operation of Various Types of Bodies Performing Inspection
Inspection and surveillance activities
Scheme distinction
Which activity runs under which scheme?
| Scheme | Activity covered | Status |
|---|---|---|
| ISO/IEC 17025 | Laboratory testing and calibration | Within accredited scope |
| ISO/IEC 17020 | Inspection and surveillance | Within accredited scope |
| ISO/IEC 17065 | Product, process and service certification | Scope subject to confirmation |
| ISO/IEC 17021-1 | Management system certification | Scope subject to confirmation |
A service being described on this site does not mean that it is provided within an accredited or authorised body scope. Which activity can be carried out under which scope for your application is confirmed in writing.
What the schemes do
Which question does each scheme answer?
The four schemes do not substitute for one another; each assesses a different subject and produces a different output. This is the most confused subject in the field.
Testing and calibration laboratory
Is this measurement correct and repeatable?
What it does
It qualifies a laboratory's competence to carry out a measurement: method verification, equipment calibration, calculation of measurement uncertainty, personnel competence and interlaboratory comparison. Its output is a TEST REPORT.
What it does not do
It does not decide that the product is conforming. The report gives the measured value; whether that value is acceptable is decided by the product standard or the specification.
Inspection body
Is this object fit for use?
What it does
It qualifies an inspection body's competence to examine on site and decide on the basis of professional judgement. Periodic inspections of lifting equipment, pressure vessels, lifts and welded fabrication run under this scheme. Its output is an INSPECTION REPORT.
What it does not do
It does not issue a certificate for a product and does not give assurance about the conformity of serial production; it concerns the individual object inspected.
Product certification body
Does this product type conform to the stated requirements?
What it does
It qualifies a body's competence to issue a certificate for a PRODUCT TYPE. The assessment covers the test report, control of the place of manufacture and surveillance throughout the validity of the certificate. Its output is a PRODUCT CERTIFICATE.
What it does not do
It does not certify the organisation's management system. A product certificate also does not mean that every lot of the product has been tested; surveillance rests on sampling.
Management system certification body
Does this organisation's system operate according to the standard?
What it does
It qualifies a body's competence to certify against management system standards such as ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and ISO 45001. The audit rests on sampling and is maintained through surveillance audits over the life of the certificate. Its output is a SYSTEM CERTIFICATE.
What it does not do
It does not demonstrate the conformity of a product. The product of an organisation holding an ISO 9001 certificate may be non-compliant with legislation; the two assess different subjects.
Scope document
How to read the accreditation scope
A body being accredited carries no information on its own; what matters is the SCOPE of accreditation. The scope is written item by item in the scope document published by the accreditation body, and an activity not written there is not within the accredited scope.
- The scope document is ACTIVITY-based: which test, on which product or material group, to which standard. A laboratory being accredited does not mean that all of its tests are accredited.
- The certificate number and validity date are checked; accreditation can be suspended, narrowed or come to an end.
- For inspection bodies, the scope document states which TYPE the body is accredited as. If a specification requires independent third-party inspection, an inspection by a unit within the organisation itself does not satisfy that specification.
- The presence of an accreditation mark on a report or certificate does not mean that every item in that document is within the accredited scope; items outside the scope are marked separately.
- Mutual recognition arrangements allow a report accredited by an accreditation body in one country to be accepted in others; but where legislation separately requires a designated body, that recognition is not sufficient.
Frequently confused
- An "accredited laboratory" and a "notified body" are not the same thing: accreditation is an independent assessment of competence, while a notified body is a designation under a piece of legislation.
- A test report is not a conformity decision. The report gives the measured value; the conformity decision is made against the product standard or the legislation and is a separate activity.
- A system certificate does not demonstrate product conformity, nor does a product certificate demonstrate system conformity; the two schemes assess different subjects.
- Under legislation resting on manufacturer declaration (for example low voltage and electromagnetic compatibility) an accredited laboratory is not legally mandatory; but a report without accreditation is markedly weaker to defend in market surveillance.
- A service being described on a website does not show that the service is offered within an accredited scope; the scope is always confirmed from the scope document.
Trust
Reliable conformity assessment
Accreditation contributes to activities being carried out in accordance with defined criteria, supports the reliability of results, and helps build trust in conformity assessment processes.
We place importance on establishing reliable processes in line with the principles of transparency, impartiality and technical proficiency.