What is Accreditation?
Accreditation is a formal, third-party endorsement that demonstrates an organization's competence, credibility, impartiality, and integrity in performing specific conformity assessment activities.
- Formal Definition: "Third-party attestation related to a conformity assessment body conveying formal demonstration of its competence to carry out specific conformity assessment tasks."
- Key Role: It underpins the practical application of quality assurance across all economic sectors—ranging from fishing and forestry to construction and communications—benefiting goods and services throughout the entire supply chain.
What is Certification?
In contrast, certification focuses directly on the subjects being evaluated rather than the organization performing the evaluation.
- Formal Definition: "Third-party attestation related to products, processes, systems or persons." (ISO/IEC 17000:2004)
Key Distinctions at a Glance
| Feature | Accreditation | Certification |
|---|---|---|
| Target Subject | Conformity Assessment Bodies (CABs) | Products, processes, systems, or persons |
| Core Focus | Competence, independence, and integrity | Meeting specific standards or requirements |
| Nature of Attestation | Third-party validation of operational capability | Third-party validation of compliance |
Business Benefits
A growing number of businesses are voluntarily choosing to pursue accreditation. Organizations recognize that it delivers critical advantages:
- Internal Efficiency: Streamlines operations and standardizes processes.
- Demonstrated Best Practice: Proves a high level of credibility, competence, and integrity to clients and stakeholders.