There’s actually a very easy first step towards setting up your own certification body (CB) or accreditation body (AB): call Oxebridge.
More and more companies want to start offering certifications of management systems, products, services, or people. To do this, they have to form an official CB that is recognized under specific standards, like ISO 17021-1, ISO 17024, or ISO 17065.
Others may want to form a company that accredits those certification bodies, while being recognized by groups like the International Accreditation Forum (IAF) or International Aerospace Quality Group (IAQG). In that case, they need to comply with the group’s rules as well as that of ISO 17011.
Even others still are chomping at the bit to become official Cybersecurity Third-Party Assessment Organizations (C3PAOs) for the new CMMC program. Those rules aren’t out yet, but are likely to track with ISO 17021.
The labyrinth of applicable ISO standards can be daunting; selecting the appropriate one is an exercise in itself. Then starts the work of implementing them. Generally, this means:
- Defining the scope of certification or accreditation (what you intend on doing)
- Developing the applicable policies and procedures
- Developing the supporting systems (internal audits, conflict of interest management, complaints handling and appeals, designing certificates, etc.)
- Conducting training
- Performing internal audits
- Closing all problems found
- Moving towards system management and improvement
And, finally, it means little if you’re not recognized. For CBs this means undergoing accreditation audits by an appropriate AB. For ABs, this means undergoing the necessary oversight per the scheme you are operating under (IAF, IAQG, etc.)
Surprisingly, the implementation process can be done quickly… with the right help. Failing to do so, however, can cause huge delays and additional costs, when the oversight body later rejects your international recognition.
Oxebridge has been helping CBs since 2001, and ABs since 2006. We have helped set up certification bodies responsible for certifying ISO 9001 management systems, electrical product certifications, wind turbine certifications, calibration and test laboratories, reference material producers and more.
There are almost no consultancies on the planet that can set up CBs or ABs. The fact that Oxebridge operates the world’s only independent whistleblower program to enforce certification and accreditation rules means even among the few that exist, we are a step ahead.
Best yet, we live this stuff. As recently as 2020, we set up our own Accreditation Body for the new Oxebridge Q001 certification scheme. This was built to comply with ISO 17011, while allowing an ingenious oversight mechanism that improves on that provided by the IAF.
If you’re serious about setting up a certification body or accreditation body, write me personally today, and let’s set up a time to chat. We can figure out your needs together, and design the best approach for you, to ensure your resulting certifications and accreditations are trusted, valid and recognized worldwide.
Write to OQR@oxebridge.com, or call me at our contact number listed here.
Christopher Paris is the founder and VP Operations of Oxebridge. He has over 30 years’ experience implementing ISO 9001 and AS9100 systems, and helps establish certification and accreditation bodies with the ISO 17000 series. He is a vocal advocate for the development and use of standards from the point of view of actual users. He is the writer and artist of THE AUDITOR comic strip, and is currently writing the DR. CUBA pulp novel series. Visit www.drcuba.world
