Accreditation Body (AB)
Definition
A national body that assesses and formally recognises the competence of certification bodies. Notable examples: UKAS (UK), DAkkS (Germany), COFRAC (France), NABCB (India), ANAB and A2LA (USA). Accreditation is granted under ISO/IEC 17021-1.
- Role
- Assesses and recognises certification bodies
- Governing standard
- ISO/IEC 17021-1
- Examples
- UKAS, DAkkS, COFRAC, NABCB, ANAB, A2LA
- Field
- Management system certification
Common questions
What is the difference between an accreditation body and a certification body?+
A certification body audits and certifies organisations against a standard, while the accreditation body assesses whether that certification body itself is competent to perform certifications.
Why does it matter which accreditation body backed a certificate?+
Mutual recognition arrangements between accreditation bodies let a certificate accredited in one country be trusted internationally, while an unaccredited or obscure issuer carries far less credibility.
Is accreditation mandatory before a body can issue ISO certificates?+
No, uncertified bodies can technically issue certificates, but without accreditation the certificate carries much less weight with regulators, clients, and auditors.
Related terms
- Certification Body (CB)
- An independent third-party organisation accredited to audit and certify that an ISMS conforms to ISO 27001. Examples include BSI, Bureau Veritas, DNV,...
- Major Nonconformity
- A finding that indicates the ISMS is absent in a required area or has failed systemically. Must be resolved with verified evidence...
- Minor Nonconformity
- A single lapse or gap that does not indicate systemic failure. The organisation must provide a corrective action plan and close the...
- Stage 1 Audit
- The documentation review phase of the initial certification audit. The auditor checks that the ISMS documentation exists, the scope is defined, the...
- Stage 2 Audit
- The on-site certification audit. The auditor tests whether controls described in the documentation are implemented and operating effectively. A Stage 2 pass...