Use of ISO Logos if company is not certified by an accredited certification body
- Thread starter JoCam
- Start date
Re: Use of ISO Logos if company is not certified by an accredited notified body
It is certainly dishonest. They are claiming to be something that they are not. As far as I know, what you displayed is not one the copyrighted symbols, although I have often seen it in use.
If it is one of your suppliers, you should call them on it. Tell them if they are lying about something as basic as this, how can you trust them about anything else.
It is certainly dishonest. They are claiming to be something that they are not. As far as I know, what you displayed is not one the copyrighted symbols, although I have often seen it in use.
If it is one of your suppliers, you should call them on it. Tell them if they are lying about something as basic as this, how can you trust them about anything else.
A
AliPat
Re: Use of ISO Logos if company is not certified by an accredited notified body
ISO website states:
Can I use the ISO logo?
The ISO logo is a registered trademark and cannot be used by anyone outside of ISO, unless authorised.
If you wish to use a logo to demonstrate certification, contact the certification body that issued the certificate.
My company are allowed to use the logo from our certification body as we are certified to ISO9001 and 140001 with them.
ISO website states:
Can I use the ISO logo?
The ISO logo is a registered trademark and cannot be used by anyone outside of ISO, unless authorised.
If you wish to use a logo to demonstrate certification, contact the certification body that issued the certificate.
My company are allowed to use the logo from our certification body as we are certified to ISO9001 and 140001 with them.
R
Reg Morrison
Re: Use of ISO Logos if company is not certified by an accredited notified body
Firstly, a little correction: Notified Bodies are not accredited in the sense Certification Bodies are. They are authorized by Competent Authorities.
So, your statement should have read accredited certification body.
As for the usage of logos, this has to do with the property rights of the logos and false advertising. The logo in question does not have (as far as I can tell) any indication of copyright, trademark, etc... It looks like an old certification mark used by the certification body SGS. The ISO organization certainly prohibits the use of their logo without authorization, but the logo in question has nothing to do with ISO.
As for false/misleading advertising, I think anyone would have a hard time in court trying to impugn an non-traditional accredited certification claim via the logo.
So, all in all, I would answer your question with a YES.
Firstly, a little correction: Notified Bodies are not accredited in the sense Certification Bodies are. They are authorized by Competent Authorities.
So, your statement should have read accredited certification body.
As for the usage of logos, this has to do with the property rights of the logos and false advertising. The logo in question does not have (as far as I can tell) any indication of copyright, trademark, etc... It looks like an old certification mark used by the certification body SGS. The ISO organization certainly prohibits the use of their logo without authorization, but the logo in question has nothing to do with ISO.
As for false/misleading advertising, I think anyone would have a hard time in court trying to impugn an non-traditional accredited certification claim via the logo.
So, all in all, I would answer your question with a YES.
P
PaulJSmith
Re: Use of ISO Logos if company is not certified by an accredited notified body
You didn't mention "who" is using this logo. If it's your company, you should do what you can to stop it. As Big Jim noted, it is dishonest. If it's a supplier, you should probably steer clear of them.
You didn't mention "who" is using this logo. If it's your company, you should do what you can to stop it. As Big Jim noted, it is dishonest. If it's a supplier, you should probably steer clear of them.
JoCam
Trusted Information Resource
Re: Use of ISO Logos if company is not certified by an accredited notified body
Big Jim and PaulJSmith,
This style of logo is being used by one of our Suppliers (of services, not product). We steer clear of using logos of any sort, other than our own of course.
This Supplier has an ISO 9001 Registered certificate from a non-accredited body that has been the subject of a couple of threads in the cove. My concern is that the "certification body" that has awarded this certificate may have hoodwinked the Supplier into believing that they are indeed certified by an accredited body, as they have stated on their 'Supplier Evaluation Form' that their management system has been audited by a regulatory body. During my investigation into the situation I stumbled upon the use of the aforementioned logo.
I was looking for some backup from the Cove before I delivered the bad news.
Jo
Big Jim and PaulJSmith,
This style of logo is being used by one of our Suppliers (of services, not product). We steer clear of using logos of any sort, other than our own of course.
This Supplier has an ISO 9001 Registered certificate from a non-accredited body that has been the subject of a couple of threads in the cove. My concern is that the "certification body" that has awarded this certificate may have hoodwinked the Supplier into believing that they are indeed certified by an accredited body, as they have stated on their 'Supplier Evaluation Form' that their management system has been audited by a regulatory body. During my investigation into the situation I stumbled upon the use of the aforementioned logo.
I was looking for some backup from the Cove before I delivered the bad news.
Jo
R
Reg Morrison
Re: Use of ISO Logos if company is not certified by an accredited notified body
You use the words "regulatory body". Please note that a (properly accredited) certification body is not a regulatory body. Neither is a notified body. Terminology is important, especially when we are dealing with "legal" concepts.
So, the supplier must be educated in what "accredited certification" is versus unaccredited and nontraditional accreditation are.
You use the words "regulatory body". Please note that a (properly accredited) certification body is not a regulatory body. Neither is a notified body. Terminology is important, especially when we are dealing with "legal" concepts.
JoCam
I noticed the logo indicates registered and you state you are not registered, the answer depends upon the UK laws concerning product deception as well as any international laws which are related to the same where you attach that logo to products or services the organization indicating that logo falsely, provides.
For example, that type of product deceptive practice could get a company some vast fines and its officers jail time in the United States (depending upon the state they practiced business within). Worse is the CBP get wind of it and put the company on their watch list (which means severe sales slump)
Further consider that ISO is an NGO to the UN which might stir up some legal commotion with the WTO, causing products of the company to sit in customs inspection.
The point is ISO has influence to harm this companies bottom line without ever taking them to court, Just the hint of deceptive practice to Customs organizations within any country, can spell trouble for the organizations proposed or assumed sales. The idea being, if the company is dishonest about its registration to ISO, what else is it being dishonest about?
I noticed the logo indicates registered and you state you are not registered, the answer depends upon the UK laws concerning product deception as well as any international laws which are related to the same where you attach that logo to products or services the organization indicating that logo falsely, provides.
For example, that type of product deceptive practice could get a company some vast fines and its officers jail time in the United States (depending upon the state they practiced business within). Worse is the CBP get wind of it and put the company on their watch list (which means severe sales slump)
Further consider that ISO is an NGO to the UN which might stir up some legal commotion with the WTO, causing products of the company to sit in customs inspection.
The point is ISO has influence to harm this companies bottom line without ever taking them to court, Just the hint of deceptive practice to Customs organizations within any country, can spell trouble for the organizations proposed or assumed sales. The idea being, if the company is dishonest about its registration to ISO, what else is it being dishonest about?
Colin
Quite Involved in Discussions
Re: Use of ISO Logos if company is not certified by an accredited notified body
Why is it dishonest? Why are they lying? - a strong word to use in this context.
They say they are registered to ISO 9001 and as far as we know, they are. The fact that it is by non-UKAS/ANAB accredited certification body is a different question - as in "what is the difference between accredited and non-accredited certification?"
Jo, why not go and do an audit on them yourselves?, I'll come with you if you like, that way you can make up your own mind as to whether they are a company you want to work with or not, based on their performance rather than a logo.
Why is it dishonest? Why are they lying? - a strong word to use in this context.
They say they are registered to ISO 9001 and as far as we know, they are. The fact that it is by non-UKAS/ANAB accredited certification body is a different question - as in "what is the difference between accredited and non-accredited certification?"
Jo, why not go and do an audit on them yourselves?, I'll come with you if you like, that way you can make up your own mind as to whether they are a company you want to work with or not, based on their performance rather than a logo.