What is the difference between ISO Certification & Accreditation?

ISO Certification Vs. Accreditation:

What's the Real Difference?

ISO certification and ISO accreditation terms are frequently used as synonyms because of their relationship. However, they are not equal in the quality assurance scale, they have different meanings.  

The International ISO Survey, conducted in 2019, shows that over 1.3 million ISO certifications are issued globally every year. Some popular certificate names are ISO 9001 for quality management, ISO 27001 for information security, and ISO 45001 for health and safety.

Additionally, the report showed an increase of 3.79% in the certificates’ disbursement from 2018 to 2019. These figures show how companies have embraced ISO standards to enable them to manage their businesses effectively. 

Moreover, organizations in the corporate and other sectors frequently get confused about these two terms, creating a lack of awareness. Although certification and accreditation have similar meanings in theory, they mainly vary in the set of protocols required for each. 

Hence, understanding these two phrases became necessary to maintain constant precision and clarity in business operations. To explain this difference and save your organization from disruption, we have created this informative blog.  

What is ISO?

ISO is an abbreviation of International Organisation for Standardisation that is primarily concerned with the use of various standards on products and services with a view of establishing sound quality. Hence, regardless of their type and size, all organizations need to obtain certification and accreditation to these standards.

So let’s explain it with the help of an example which is the ISO 27001 implementation. A case study of a Risk Crew shows that a UK-based agri tech company, Agrimetrics, included ISO 27001 certification to secure data across various systems of data exchange. 
 
This implementation helped the organization gain consumer trust by enhancing its data protection system according to ISO 27001 standards and reducing the possibilities of digital attacks. 

Thus, whenever a company is able to put an ISO standard into practice, it would be classed as an ISO organization. This organization is required to conform to the quality, security and other critical requirements demanded by the specific ISO standard. 

How Does ISO Accreditation Differ from ISO Certification?

 

ISO Accreditation: 

ISO accreditation may be defined as a situation where a legitimate third-party organization formally declares that the other organization attempting to get a certification is capable of performing other certification activities. Hence, this way, certification bodies get approval to proceed with certification audit procedures and issue the certificate.
 

ISO Certification:

ISO certification is the process of examining and verifying organizations' adhesion to particular ISO standards. Companies perform different audits to check their management systems' compliance with ISO certifications, such as the ISO 9001 or ISO 45001 certification.

After getting approval for all required protocols, the company can issue a certificate and assure its consumers, partners, and regulatory agencies that it satisfies mandated criteria and is capable of taking advantage of new market opportunities. 

Conclusion:

Becoming an ISO certification company is one of the most valuable forms of recognition for businesses today because of rising globalization. Numerous platforms are emerging as leaders in this field, which help companies obtain these certifications, and Vinsys is one of them. 

We assist businesses in acquiring the proper training to achieve their preferred ISO certifications. For example, you can obtain a complete course about enhancing your ability and knowledge of information security management, which will help you understand ISO 27001 certification requirements.

We have dozens of other ISO Course training programs like ISO 27001. Therefore, get in touch with us and progress further in making your organization ISO compliant and accredited to enhance international capability.

 

FAQs:

1. How do you get an ISO certification in Dubai?

You can follow given steps to get ISO certification in Dubai: 

• Identify which ISO standard is correct for your organization, like ISO 9001 certification, ISO 45001 certification, ISO 27001 certification, etc. 
• Check your current management cycles against conditions needed for a picked ISO standard and find gaps.
• Make necessary documentation about guidelines and strategies to follow. 
• Conduct an internal audit to carry out fundamental changes in your association.
• Pick an authorized certification body in Dubai that will perform an accreditation review.
• The certification body will analyze your documentation and execute on-site audits. 
• If you satisfy the required ISO standards, you will get the certification.
• After getting certification, make constant audits to adhere to Dubai’s ISO standards. 

 

2. Which organization provides ISO certification in Dubai?

SIS certification is one of the well-known certification bodies in Dubai that help companies to get ISO certified.

 

3. Can small businesses afford ISO certification in the UAE?

Yes, small businesses can perform ISO certification in UAE since the cost depends on the company’s size, complexity, and the particular standard they are choosing. For example, the cost of ISO 9001 certification in the UAE begins at AED 3000 for an organization with fewer than 20 employees. 
 

4. Are all ISO-certified companies genuine?

Not all companies that have been accredited by the ISO are real companies since some companies can get fake certifications from the phony accreditation bodies. You can check reality of certificates on international or regional registers.
 

5. How do you get an ISO certification in Sharjah?

In the first step, auditors from the certification body examine your documentation and confirm that you can proceed to other activities of your picked ISO standard. In the second step, auditors physically check your management methods to ensure they match your documentation. Finally, in the last stage, if auditors don't find any gaps, they move to the certification granting process. 

 

6. How to update an ISO certification?

You need to pursue a few easy steps to update or renew your ISO certification: 

• Check for the relevant changes that occurred in your preferred ISO standard. 
• Match your company’s current systems to the updated norms and find gaps.
• Revise your documentation and make changes accordingly.
• Conduct internal audits and get accredited certification. 
• Execute an external audit, and after passing it, get your updated certification. 

 

7. How hard is it to get an ISO 9001 certification?

It is however not easy to get ISO 9001 certification but it is achievable. Your management system needs to be in accordance with ISO 9001 norms of your organization.