Choosing who certifies your organization for ISO is so important. For instance, are you aware of the difference between a UKAS and non-UKAS certification body?
Many organizations are unaware that many potential clients will not recognize the ISO certificate if the certifier is not UKAS accredited. We have recently had a large influx of companies getting in touch because they have been kicked off tenders for not holding a UKAS ISO certificate. That’s a lot of time and money down the drain…
UKAS-Accreditation Ensures Industry-Wide Recognition of your ISO Certificate
Why is a non-UKAS accredited certificate less likely to be recognized? Without UKAS’s backing there is no assurance that the key requirements of ISO 9001 are being tested in the audit, so how can a potential client be sure you are meeting the standard’s requirements?
There are other accreditations out there – you may see some cert bodies accredited to ASCB. While ASCB can be an option for organizations in markets where good quality management is less of a priority, in many industries a certificate supported by UKAS is required.
Accreditation is a costly process.
It is essential that you make it worthwhile.
It is essential that you get it right.
Do your due diligence on the cert body.
Whether or not you choose to go with a UKAS or non-UKAS cert body is your choice. The main thing is that you’re aware of the difference between the two and the risks involved. Many organizations, currently, are not.
In some unfortunate cases, organizations have signed long-term contracts with non-UKAS accredited certification bodies. When it dawns on the organization that their ISO certificate is not seen as credible by their potential clients, not only have they already wasted a lot of money on an ineffective management system, it also becomes very hard to end the contract. Many non-UKAS cert bodies invest heavily in legal teams to make this switch as painful as possible. What a nightmare this is, and it’s something we have witnessed ourselves…
Don’t let this happen to you.
To find out which certification bodies are UKAS accredited, click here to visit the UKAS website. If a “certification body” is not listed on there, it is not UKAS accredited.
If you have any questions about choosing certification bodies for your accreditation process, please get in touch by clicking here.
We have helped organizations of all types, sizes and ambitions with ISO compliance – we can help you, too. Click the button below for an instant quotation. Alternatively, you can get in touch with us by using our contact form.