WHAT IS AN ACCREDITATION BODY?
In the field of certification services, customers are often more familiar with the term “Certification Body.” This is the entity that directly provides certification services and issues certificates to customers. However, a certificate is only valid when it is endorsed by an accreditation body. This endorsement is represented by the presence of an accreditation mark on the certificate used by the certification body.
Therefore, when customers need a certificate for a specific standard, they often ask certification bodies: “Which accreditation body’s mark do you use?”
According to Vietnamese law (Decree No. 107/2016/ND-CP issued by the Government on July 1, 2016), an accreditation body is an organization that assesses and confirms the competence of a conformity assessment body according to relevant standards. This means an accreditation body is an entity that recognizes the competence of a certification body, and the certification body’s scope of assessment is acknowledged when it meets the accreditation body’s requirements.
COMMON ACCREDITATION BODIES IN VIETNAM
Each country has one or more designated accreditation bodies. Some of the commonly recognized accreditation marks used in Vietnam are:
UKAS (United Kingdom Accreditation Service): The only national accreditation body in the United Kingdom.
Official website: https://www.ukas.com/accreditation/IAS (International Accreditation Service): One of the accreditation bodies in the USA.
Official website: https://www.iasonline.org/BOA (Bureau of Accreditation): The only national accreditation body in Vietnam, designated by the Government.
Official website: http://www.boa.gov.vn/
Other accreditation bodies include ANAB (USA), JAS-ANZ (Australia and New Zealand), etc. These bodies are all members of the IAF (International Accreditation Forum), a non-governmental organization that recognizes the conformity assessment certification granted by a certification body under the scope of an accreditation body.
Therefore, when a customer’s information is displayed on the IAF system, it only proves that the accreditation body is a member of the IAF.
VALUE OF CERTIFICATES
Currently, from a legal perspective, there is no difference in the legal validity of certificates bearing different accreditation marks, as this is a national recognition of conformity based on the specific criteria of each standard.
However, in practice, certificates with different accreditation marks hold varying values. These values are shaped by the realities of the assessment field, reflecting customer needs and market segments.
For example, comparing certificates with UKAS and IAS marks reveals several differences:
Certification Bodies Using the Accreditation Mark: Certification bodies accredited by UKAS are usually large and reputable organizations in the certification industry. As a result, the number of certification bodies authorized to use the UKAS mark is quite limited. Conversely, IAS allows a larger number of certification bodies to use its mark, indicating a more “flexible” approach compared to UKAS.
Customer Segments: Customers requiring certificates with the UKAS mark are typically larger enterprises compared to those using certificates with the IAS mark.
Partner Requirements: Depending on different markets, partners may specify which accreditation body’s mark is required. For example, in the EU market, customers are often required to meet standards using the UKAS mark.
