INTERNATIONAL ACCREDITATION

FORUM, INC.

“Certified Once, Accredited Everywhere”

Last Updated January 2012

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

– 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: – Quality Management Systems (QMS) and Environmental Management Systems (EMS)

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.

Regional Cooperation Bodies

• The IAF MLA is structured to build on existing and developing

regional MLAs/MRAs established around the world.

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)

Southern African Development Community

Accreditation (SADCA)

(www.sadca.org)

• The IAF MLA recognises EA, PAC, IAAC

IAF MLA Signatories

IAF Members not yet Signatories

Coverage of the IAF MLA

Last Updated January 2012

Status of the IAF MLA

• There are 54 IAF MLA Signatories, representing 51 economies.

• Main Scope

– ISO/IEC 17021: 50 Accreditation Bodies and EA, PAC & IAAC

– ISO/IEC Guide 65: 44 Accreditation Bodies and EA, PAC & IAAC

• Sub-scope

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

• ISO 14001: 43 Accreditation Bodies and EA, PAC & IAAC

• Product: Nil

– In Development

• ISO 22000 ISO 13485

• Certification of Persons ISO/IEC 20000

Last Updated January 2012

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• By December 2010, at least 1,109 905 ISO 9001 certificates had

been issued in 178 countries and economies.

• At the same time, at least at least 250 972 ISO 14001:2004 certificates had been issued in 155 countries and economies.

(Source: ISO 2010)

Worldwide number of ISO 9001 certificates 2006-2010

Worldwide number of ISO 14001certificates 2006-2010

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/registration 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/registration systems.

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

Partner Members and 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, consisting of IAF Members, represent 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:

•Flexible alternative to

Legislation

•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 internal 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 internal survey 2011)

62% of respondents either agreed /

strongly agreed that the certification

body provided value for money.

83% of respondents agreed or

strongly agreed that certification had

added value to their organisation.

The value of certification

(Source: IAF internal survey 2011)

17% of respondents stated that their

certified status had led to a significant

increase in sales. 32% reported a

minor increase.

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

SAMPLE

The IAF MLA Mark

• The IAF MLA mark can be used by accreditation

bodies that are signatories to the MLA.

• MLA signatories can license the MLA mark to use in

conjunction with their own accreditation body symbol

as shown below

AccreditationBody Symbol

QMS NO 01

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. The certification body must include an indication as to which activity the accreditation is related.

• 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.

SAMPLE

AccreditationBody Symbol

QMS NO 01

Contact IAF

IAF Secretariat, Elva Nilsen

28 Chemin Old Chelsea

Box 1811, Chelsea, Quebec

CANADA

J9B 1A0

+1 (613) 454-8159

iaf@iaf.nu

www.iaf.nu

INTERNATIONAL

ACCREDITATION FORUM,

INC.

www.iaf.nu