Accredited/Unaccredited Certification - The Credibility of some Certification Bodies

Stijloor

Leader
Super Moderator
Re: Accredited/Unaccredited Certification - The Credibility of some Certification Bod

The arguments rumble on about the credibility of some certification bodies. See this article: Certifiers in Argument over Accreditation which was recently issued regarding certification to ISO 14001 in the UK.

It's becoming more muddy and messy.....:mg:

The accreditation and certification processes are about to lose their integrity...

Stijloor.
 

Sidney Vianna

Post Responsibly
Leader
Admin
Re: Accredited/Unaccredited Certification - The Credibility of some Certification Bod

Unnacredited and pseudo accredited certificates only exist because of ignorance in the market place about the accredited certification process. Only education of customer organizations can prevent valueless certificates from being accepted.
 

Stijloor

Leader
Super Moderator
Re: Accredited/Unaccredited Certification - The Credibility of some Certification Bod

Unnacredited and pseudo accredited certificates only exist because of ignorance in the market place about the accredited certification process. Only education of customer organizations can prevent valueless certificates from being accepted.

Great point Sidney! :agree1: But, do the legitimate Accreditors and Certification Bodies enough to inform the unaware?

Stijloor.
 
S

somerqc

Re: Accredited/Unaccredited Certification - The Credibility of some Certification Bod

Although this "pseudo" certification bodies are definite issue - on a related note. How to reputable CB's keep track of companies that have let their registrations lapse to ensure that inaccurate marketing doesn't occur?

I have recently had to reject 2 vendors as they claimed they were registered to ISO 9001 only to discover they let their registration lapse and an on-site audit determined that they have completely destroyed the system. The worst part is that they were still marketing that they were registered! Only because I did follow-up did we know any different.

Who is responsible for ensuring that ongoing marketing doesn't continue to advertise this when they are no longer registered? Yes - they were still using the marks of the registrar in both cases!
 

Stijloor

Leader
Super Moderator
Re: Accredited/Unaccredited Certification - The Credibility of some Certification Bod

Although this "pseudo" certification bodies are definite issue - on a related note. How to reputable CB's keep track of companies that have let their registrations lapse to ensure that inaccurate marketing doesn't occur?

I have recently had to reject 2 vendors as they claimed they were registered to ISO 9001 only to discover they let their registration lapse and an on-site audit determined that they have completely destroyed the system. The worst part is that they were still marketing that they were registered! Only because I did follow-up did we know any different.

Who is responsible for ensuring that ongoing marketing doesn't continue to advertise this when they are no longer registered? Yes - they were still using the marks of the registrar in both cases!

Is there a law in your country against false advertising?

Stijloor.
 

Colin

Quite Involved in Discussions
Re: Accredited/Unaccredited Certification - The Credibility of some Certification Bod

Although this "pseudo" certification bodies are definite issue - on a related note. How to reputable CB's keep track of companies that have let their registrations lapse to ensure that inaccurate marketing doesn't occur?

I have recently had to reject 2 vendors as they claimed they were registered to ISO 9001 only to discover they let their registration lapse and an on-site audit determined that they have completely destroyed the system. The worst part is that they were still marketing that they were registered! Only because I did follow-up did we know any different.

Who is responsible for ensuring that ongoing marketing doesn't continue to advertise this when they are no longer registered? Yes - they were still using the marks of the registrar in both cases!

I think this is a difficult problem to police - in the UK I think all that can be done is to report them to our 'Trading Standards' body who can prosecute them for false advertising.
 

Sidney Vianna

Post Responsibly
Leader
Admin
Re: Accredited/Unaccredited Certification - The Credibility of some Certification Bod

But, do the legitimate Accreditors and Certification Bodies enough to inform the unaware?
Jan, most registrants want to communicate as little as possible with their respective certification bodies, even less with accreditation bodies. Two of the entities that should be promoting the value of the IAF accredited certification are the IAF themselves and the IAAR, in the USA. Who spends time at their websites? I do. But the typical registrant is not only ignorant but totally oblivious to such entities.

Look at the Marketing the Value of Accredited Certification - ANAB's Heads Up thread. The only response, besides my two posts are from a senior ASQ member who clearly sees no value in the accredited certification process. I think it shows the state of play.

Who is responsible for ensuring that ongoing marketing doesn't continue to advertise this when they are no longer registered? Yes - they were still using the marks of the registrar in both cases!
If a CB becomes aware that an organization is misusing their certification mark, they normally start a "cease and desist" effort. But I doubt any CB polices the market looking for such instances.

As I mentioned numerous times in the past and will address in my presentation during the ISO 9000 Conference in Orlando next February, ISO and IAF should be introduced to the wonderful world of Information Technology and mandate an OASIS-like database to the management system conformity assessment world. It is amazing the LACK of VISION by these people.
 

Randy

Super Moderator
Re: Accredited/Unaccredited Certification - The Credibility of some Certification Bod

It is amazing the LACK of VISION by these people.

I ask myself all the time "How many of these people could actually run a real business, and truly understand marketing/advertising?"
 

Hershal

Metrologist-Auditor
Trusted Information Resource
Re: Accredited/Unaccredited Certification - The Credibility of some Certification Bod

I read the article and the discussion here, and find one crucial component missing: The AB obligations under the MRA.

UKAS is signatory to both ILAC and IAF and as such has an obligation to accept accreditations by other signatory ABs as equivalent to their own. It must be noted that the obligation is not present for a non-signatory AB. The other AB in the article may or may not be a signatory to either MRA.

I am not certain about IAF, but ILAC has a cross-frontier policy. EA (recognized region) also has a cross-frontier policy which is much more strict, but does not affect ABs outside the EA signatory bodies.

But as with any organization, it is always prudent to check before doing business with them.
 
Top Bottom