Deciding or changing Certification Body - Registration in accordance with Accreditation Protocols based International Management Systems Standards... For listing of Certification Bodies and registrars recommendations.

    Note, what is a registrar and certification body: A certification body needs be a legal entity that provides certification of management systems and other protocols (we consider that a Registrar is a branch of Certification Body and not synonymous). A certification body that that carries accreditation can demonstrate confidence and competence in carrying out activities of certification. The country of the base Certification Body determines the origin of certification entity, whether under accreditation or not, as the policies, procedures and operating protocols are define by the certification body. Many branches of certification bodies exist worldwide favorably in pursuit that identifies a regional "flavor". Is beneficial for organizations seeking certification that consider the point-of -sales as well as point of origin.      

For your organization to benefit, the Registrar or a Certification Body needs be competent within your organization's processes and activities - also consider market(s)  where service or products are to export. Expectations are that the CB (certification body) or CE (certification entity) carries accreditation for recognition and to enhance the organizations ability to advance toward its own goals and objectives.

    In certifying or registering your organization's management system through a third party - independent body you may wish to consider that the CB be competent, objective, friendly, courteous, logical, understand global boundaries and cultures, operates ethically and with integrity. We receive complaints from organizations that they "err" with third party selection because of inconsistency, unfriendliness, lack of objectivity, lack of preparedness, non responsive, lack of competence, not adding value, or even infringing on ethical issues and integrity. This is why we list some of the certification bodies (some may refer to registrar) on a per region and industry basis considering their potential to work with your organization - visit our Registrar Selection page (English and Spanish). Feel free contacting us for information, we are to recommend more than one registrar or registration body relating to your activities, processes and your particular regions of operations and POS.

The selection of certification body is a decision not to take lightly. While selection is critical you must understand your role as a client (organization or government entity), not in the sense that the third party (registrar or Certification Body) is so flexible that jeopardizes your relationship with your own customers or risking not meeting your own business objectives or abiding to legal requirements. The need to understand issues within the realm of logic, flexibility, ethics, support, customer service, responsiveness, image, recognition, and adding-value are all part of competent Registration Body. The relationship built with a Registration Body is usually long term.

Consider the following...

When requesting quote or after the moment of selection the Certification - Registration Body (CB, CE) must make available to you a information containing, among other issues, true costs and agreement:

  • Your option to access Procedure(s) for the assessment protocol... You must be certain and knowledgeable of what the process you are embarking. This document also indicates the criteria of acceptance.
     
    • [If ever deem necessary, ascertain access to the Appeal Process - If the process does not progress accordingly to plan you have an elegant possible way-out]
       
  • The objectives, mission, vision and values of the CE | CB is critical as a service provider.
  • Have the CB | CE (or its subsidiary registrar) present the assessment team members that will conduct the Assessment - Audit. And in collaboration with the CE | CB select the audit team members. In a way, if logistically feasible, this could could be like an interviewing process... ask questions that will test logic, wisdom, and general business knowledge (related to your industry) - Our experience indicates that a CE | CBs with thousands of registrations and older established CB | CE does not necessarily provide any advantage. What matter are values, mission, ethics and market recognition with international depth - e.g. if you are to sell in North America a USA or Canadian based CE | CB needs be a consider, same if you seek claim to Codes of Federal Regulations.... FDA or similar. Be aware that Canadian law applies an International Standard as a commercial barrier for medical devices, rightfully.
  • Client contacts, considering that CE | CBs needs to abide to confidential agreement includes names and contact information of organizations for reference. While CE | CBs brand name are important don't rely only on name brand when claiming to be the biggest (newer CE | CBs have proven beneficial to adding value within the assessment protocol by dedication in service rather than we hope not becomes a mere "paper certification mill").

Accreditation

Expectations are that the third party CB | CE hold recognition credentials (namely accreditation). Accreditation bodies are numerous some of these are ASBCe, GOB | GCC, AClass, RvA (Raad voor Accreditatie), JAB (Japanese Accreditation Board), ANAB, SCC, EMA, INMetro, Department of Standards Malaysia, TURKAK, UKAS, EMA (Mexico Accreditation Entity)... and many many more at times on a country per country basis (100 plus, in the some countries there are numerous and valid accreditation protocols). The accreditation body | platform requires that these address ISO/IEC 17011 + competence for laboratories). The accreditation platforms requires that the CEs | CBs address ISO/IEC 17021, ISO/TS 22003, ISO/IEC 27006 and for laboratories ISO/IEC 17025, ISO 15189... Also require that CEs | CBs meets the requirements of ISO 19011, ISO/IEC 17021 determines. Some CEs | CBs opt to meet specific directives including ISO/IEC 17024 assuring competence of their own professional. The protocols for CBs (certification bodies) from accreditation protocols requires (minimum ISO/IEC 17021):

  • To establish and follow policies/procedures to provide services to organizations in a nondiscriminatory manner not used to impede or inhibit activities.
  • Provision of services accessible to all applicants—access shouldn't be conditional upon the organization's size, the organization's membership in any association or group, the number of organizations already registered, or any undue financial condition.
  • That when assessing an organization uses the criteria agreed as outlined in the published management system standards or scheme as defined contractually.
  • Other issues to fulfill according to scope of activities includes ISO/TS 22003, ISO/IEC 27006 and mandatory ISO/IEC 17021... before engaging in the assessment activities which may include the agreement to retain a particular audit team leader (ATL), travel and expense arrangements, use of the registration body logo, and issuance of other schemes certification some examples. management systems registration protocols may include EMS ISO 14001, QMS ISO 9001, FSMS ISO 22000... ISMS ISO/IEC 27001, OSHMS OHSAS 18001, ILO-OSH, Loss Prevention... and technical specifications, as variants of ISO 9001; AS 9100, ISO 13485, TS 16949, TL 9000... and that entities conducting approved courses align with ISO/IEC 17024 for the certification of individuals... and alike.

Et al, seek that operate ethically and with integrity, courteous and proven adding value assessments, whether an accreditation or certification body 

Narrow the field

We believe that narrowing the field to 3 CBs or subsidiaries such as registrars suffices.

There are dozens if not hundreds when combining CE | CBs and subsidiaries registrars operating worldwide thus potentially each one can provide management system registration. A list of priority listing the issues most relevant to you will assist in the process:

  • True interest and competence in assisting through adding-value, truly adding-value not a mere advertisement gimmick,
  • Reputation and image, and international savvy,
  • Your needs for exports, if applicable,
  • Ethics in abiding to accreditation protocols with integrity,
  • Courteous and responsive,
  • Providing cost-benefits such as not stretching billing days,
  • Market coverage within your market field, thus Knowledge and expertise in your industry sector,
  • Nature of your business and relating competency,
  • Possessing international recognition-accreditation,
  • Cost - Price relation,
  • Las but not least your clients' expectations (as clients most likely will not determine a CB or an AB)

Some organizations, but not necessary, categorize as "absolutely needed," "need to have" and "nice to have" in analyzing and selecting a registration body. Contacting us we can provide ethical and impartial guidance. Consider that Adding-Value be a true aspect of operations and not a sell gimmick, we consider highly important in the decision making process together with ethics, friendliness and other beneficial truly operational principles.

You may opt to consult with national or international bodies, see listing in previous page Registrar Selection, or contact us directly through contact us page.

The need for Certification | Registration

Your organization management team invested time and resources identifying important issues, analyzing the organization, compiling data, documenting.... even continuously rediscovering the organization itself. We encourage third party registration by a competent adding-value-assessment protocol with a recognition to assure competence and impartiality, and it is you that decides. Certification bodies can objectively assist to improve your organization's performance through competitiveness (from a global perspective) and reduction of risks as well as providing international recognition.

Any questions or concern write us to contact us page.

 

 

Re Evaluating the Certification Body or Registrar