Use of ISO Logos if company is not certified by an accredited certification body

[Big Jim]

I am not qualified as a lawyer, but there is no doubt the ISO mark is both copyrighted and trademarked. Even my registrar (Smithers Quality Assessments), has done that much.

But, approaching it from an honesty level, imagine if a small food company place Procter & Gamble's logo on their product and said their food was accredited by P&G... You think maybe the P&G lawyers would step in and politely ask them to stop?

The AB and CB in this case knowingly are misrepreseting that this certificate is accredited. That is itentionally dishonesst and fraudulent. The supplier may or may not know. But, when informed tat they are not full certified as other suppliers are, they have to make a decision. If they make the wrong decision, as customer would have to evaluate if they are willing to make the "wrong decision" in other situations when the customer's interests are at risk. The supply chain is a trust relationship, and supppliers who are dishonest in one area are apt to be dishonest in other areas.

You and I are on the same side here so let's not get derailed. The logo that was displayed at the beginning is not the ISO logo. I don't know the status of its copyrights if any.

Wheever I audit a company, in a CB audit or an internal audit, and I find the ISO logo in use, I write a nonconformance. ISO specifically prohibits it.

I see the logo in question in use quite a bit, but when I do it is used by registered companies. As long as I have no knowledge of any copyright issues with it, it doesn't bother me.

It bothers me to no end when I see companies posting that they are registered when they are not.