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Choosing a Certification Assessment Body

Choosing a Certification Assessment Body

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18th May 2017

The first step towards achieving certification is to choose a Certification Assessment Body (CAB). The number one thing to look out for is if your CAB is accredited or not.

The accreditation process determines, in the public interest, the technical competence and integrity of organisations.

Accredited CABs are regularly audited themselves, this provides their clients with the assurance that they have the proven competency to measure them against, and bring them in line with, the ISO standards.

Unaccredited Certification vs Accredited Certification

Unaccredited Certification represents the conformity to a management system for a product, process or service specified by the ISO standard requirements.

Accredited certification, on the other hand, does all the above but has recognition from an independent authoritative body. It’s this recognition that makes all the difference; it proves that the CAB has the competence to certify to ISO’s standards.

It is important that the market has assurance that the certification assessment bodies (CABs) themselves operate to acceptable standards and this is the purpose of accreditation.

The Story Switching to BAB from and Unaccredited CAB

The British Assessment Bureau is Accredited by UKAS

The United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS) is the UK’s National Accreditation Body. Its role is to assess organisations that are providing testing, inspection, calibration and certification services (CABs) against internationally recognised standards.

In the UK, if conformity assessment bodies are the watchmen, then UKAS watches the watchmen.

Becoming a UKAS accredited CAB involves regular assessments against a specific standard, called ISO 17021, which checks for competence, consistency and impartiality. The British Assessment Bureau is accredited by UKAS, and because UKAS is backed by Government, a certificate from the British Assessment Bureau will be recognised across the public and private sectors, worldwide.

Money Back Guarantee

At the British Assessment Bureau, we have many clients transfer to us from unaccredited CABs, due to their unaccredited ISO certification being rejected. We’re so confident in our certificates that we offer a money back guarantee – if yours isn’t accepted during the tender process then we’ll give your money back. If another CAB does not provide this same guarantee, it’s probably best you check they are accredited by UKAS.