INTERNATIONAL ACCREDITATION

FORUM, INC.

“Certified Once, Accepted Everywhere”

Last Updated January 2013

The IAF vision

To develop a single, worldwide program of conformity

assessment, which reduces risk for business, regulators

and the general public by ensuring that accredited

certification may be relied upon.

What is the IAF

• The International Accreditation Forum (IAF) is a

global association of;– Accreditation Bodies

– Regional Accreditation Cooperations

– Certification Body Associations

– Industry associations

– Other stakeholder organisations and scheme owners

involved in conformity assessment activities in a variety of

fields including management systems, products, services

and personnel

The objectives of IAF

• To maintain and develop a Multilateral Recognition Arrangement

(MLA) between its Accreditation Body Members to ensure

recognition of accredited certification between signatories.

• To act as a global forum to bring together accreditation bodies

and stakeholder groups to facilitate global trade.

• To develop appropriate harmonization of conformity assessment

best practice

• To promote accredited conformity assessment by working with,

and influencing, key international organisations and industry

groups

The IAF MLA

• The IAF MLA is a network of accreditation body members of IAF that have been deemed competent through a stringent peer evaluation process.

• Signatories to the MLA will recognize as being equally reliable the certificates and/or reports issued by certification/registration bodies accredited by all other members of the MLA.

• The IAF MLA provides businesses with assurance that equivalent overseas certification/registration bodies operate to the same standard as those in their own country.

• There are two main scopes: Management Systems and Product Certification.

• There are two sub-scopes for Management Systems: – ISO 9001 and ISO 14001

The IAF MLA

• Certificates issued by organizations accredited by IAF signatories in the fields of management systems, products, services, personnel and other similar programmes of conformity assessment are therefore recognized and accepted throughout the world.

• This acceptance removes technical barriers to international trade as businesses will not require multiple certifications.

• This reduces time to market and well as additional cost to business.

• The key to the MLA is the increasing global network of accredited conformity assessment bodies that are recognised as being competent by IAF signatories.

European Cooperation

for Accreditation

(EA)

Inter-American Accreditation Cooperation

(IAAC)

Pacific Accreditation

Cooperation (PAC)

Southern African Development

Community Accreditation

(SADCA)

African Accreditation Cooperation

(AFRAC)

Arab Accreditation Cooperation

(ARAC)

• The IAF MLA is structured to build on existing regional MLAs/MRAs

established around the world.

Regional Cooperation Bodies

Regional Cooperation Bodies

• The IAF MLA recognises EA, PAC, IAAC

European Cooperation for

Accreditation (EA)

(www.european-accreditation.org)

Inter-American Accreditation Cooperation

(IAAC)(www.iaac.org)

Pacific Accreditation

Cooperation (PAC)(www.apec-pac.org)

Coverage of the IAF MLA

IAF MLA Signatories

IAF Members not yet Signatories

Status of the IAF MLA

• There are 55 IAF MLA Signatories, representing 52 economies.

– Management Systems: 50 Accreditation Bodies and EA, PAC &

IAAC

– ISO 9001 QMS: 50 Accreditation Bodies and EA, PAC & IAAC

– ISO 14001 EMS: 44 Accreditation Bodies and EA, PAC & IAAC

– ISO 22000 FSMS: in development

– ISO 27001 ISMS: in development

– Product: 45 Accreditation Bodies EA, PAC & IAAC

The international picture

• Since its formation in 1993, IAF membership has increased, as has its influence with international organisations and trade bodies.

• This is due to the growing complexity of international trade and the growth in number of third party conformity assessment bodies.

• As a result, an increasing number of national economies have established accreditation bodies to maintain competence levels.

The international picture

• In 2011, at least 1,111,698 ISO 9001 certificates had been issued in 178 countries and economies.

• At the same time, at least 267,457 ISO 14001 certificates had been issued in 155 countries and economies.

(Source: ISO 2011)

Worldwide number of ISO 9001 certificates 2006-2011

Worldwide number of ISO 14001certificates 2006-2011

Types of IAF members

Membership of the IAF is separated into a number of categories:

Accreditation Body Membership Open to Bodies conducting and administering programmes by which they accredit bodies for certification of quality systems, products, services, personnel, environmental management systems of similar programmes of conformity assessment.

Association Membership Open to other organizations involved in the use or implementation of certification systems.

Special Recognition Organisations - Regional Accreditation GroupsOpen to regional groupings of Accreditation Bodies whose aims include the maintenance of Regional Multilateral Recognition Arrangements recognising the equivalence of their members' accreditations.

Special Recognition Organisations - Observer MembersIAF has extended recognition to a number of organisations with which it has a liaison relationship or which have been invited to be Observers

The IAF Structure

The IAF Structure

• The General Assembly represents the highest decision-making body.

• The Board of Directors is responsible for developing broad policy

directions for IAF and for ensuring that the work of IAF is carried out

in accordance with policies approved by members.

• The Executive Committee is responsible for the day-to-day work of

IAF on the basis of decisions made by Members and directions by

the Board of Directors.

• The operations of all IAF Committees and Subordinate Groups are

subject to the IAF General Procedures

The benefits of IAF

• The development of the MLA underpins cross border trade

through the acceptance of certifications. “Certified once,

accepted everywhere”.

• A support structure to lead the co-ordination of a consistent

approach and the harmonisation of best practice.

• The provision of a platform to exchange information and enable

knowledge transfer.

• Provision of technical assistance and development services to

support developing countries to establish conformity

assessment infrastructure.

• Support to developing and emerging economies.

• Links with ILAC, international standardization bodies and trade

organisations.

The benefits of accredited certification

• For Government– Facilitator of trade

– An efficient enforcement / monitoring tool

• For Business– Greater acceptance of products and services opening up market access

– Avoid costs associated with multiple certifications

– Gain access to the growing number of tenders which specify accredited

certification

• For Society– Public confidence in goods and services, despite complex global

marketplace

– Minimises product failures or recalls

Business drivers

(Source: IAF survey 2011)

The main driver for seeking certification is internal business improvement

(47%), customer requirement (32%), and to meet regulatory requirements

(13%).

The value of certification

(Source: IAF survey 2011)

62% of respondents either agreed / strongly agreed that the certification

body provided value for money.

The value of certification

(Source: IAF survey 2011)

83% of respondents agreed or strongly agreed that certification had

added value to their organisation.

The value of certification

(Source: IAF survey 2011)

17% of respondents stated that their certified status had led to a

significant increase in sales. 32% reported a minor increase.

The value of certification

(Source: IAF survey 2011)

79% of respondents confirmed that certification helped to meet the

requirements of regulators.

How to find an IAF MLA Signatory

• A ‘live’ and complete list of signatories can be found on the

IAF website at

www.iaf.nu/articles/IAF_Members__Signatories/

• Scan the code to access the list

The IAF MLA Mark

Use by Accreditation Bodies

• ABs have to be a signatory to the IAF MLA before

they can use the IAF MLA Mark

• ABs have to have a license with the IAF before they

can use the IAF MLA Mark.

• ABs can only use the IAF MLA Mark in combination

with their own logo as a combined mark, as below.

AB LOGO

The IAF MLA Mark

Use by Accreditation Bodies Cont.

• The combined mark can only be used in association

with the IAF MLA main scopes and/or sub scopes for

which the AB is a signatory to the IAF MLA.

• The combined mark may be used on accreditation

certificates, letterheads, quotations for work,

advertisements, or websites.

• The combined mark shall not be used on or in

conjunction with products.

The IAF MLA Mark

Use by Accredited CBs

• ABs that have a license to use the IAF MLA Mark can

sub-license the use of the IAF MLA mark to

accredited CBs

• CBs cannot use the IAF MLA Mark in isolation from

the accreditation symbol.

• CBs can only use the IAF MLA Mark in combination

with the Licensee’s accreditation symbol as a

combined mark, as shown below

AB SYMBOL

The IAF MLA Mark

Use by accredited CABs Cont.

• The combined mark can only be used in association

with activities for which the CAB is accredited and are

within the ABs IAF MLA main scopes.

• The combined mark may only be used by CABs on

accredited certificates where the scope of the

certificate is includes an IAF MLA sub-scope.

• The combined mark may be used by CABs in

letterheads, quotations for work, advertisements, or

websites where the CAB is accredited for a main

scope or subscope.

The IAF MLA Mark

Use by accredited CBs Cont.

• The combined mark shall not be used on or in

conjunction with products.

• The CB shall not allow its customers to use the

combined mark.

• In their license agreement with an accredited CB the

AB may add any conditions that they deem

necessary to protect the IAF MLA Mark.

The IAF MLA Mark

• Businesses seeking certification will be able to see at a glance if the certification body issuing the certificate is accredited by an accreditation body that is a signatory to the IAF MLA.

• As a result, businesses will benefit from having increased confidence, signified by the presence of the IAF MLA Mark, that requirements have actually been met.

AB SYMBOL

INTERNATIONAL

ACCREDITATION FORUM,

INC.

www.iaf.nu