How do I choose an ISO certification body?
A certification body is an independent third-party business that employs competent auditors who can conduct external audits on your business. They will visit and audit your business to check for compliance against the ISO standard(s). Some certification bodies specialise in certain industries, some have international reputations, and some are more competitively priced than others.
If you’re looking to be certified in an ISO standard, we strongly recommend selecting a certification body that has been accredited by UKAS. UKAS is the sole national accreditation body for the UK and is recognised by the UK Government. UKAS conduct very thorough annual external audits of all UKAS accredited certification bodies to ensure that they are allocating the correct number of days to each client audit and are using auditors with good knowledge of the market in which you operate. Most larger businesses and government departments require suppliers to have UKAS accredited certification since they know that UKAS accredited audits are conducted properly, and will not recognise ISO certificates from non-UKAS accredited certification bodies.
There are around 100 certification bodies who are accredited by UKAS and we can help you complete the necessary documentation that they need to get you a price. You can browse UKAS accredited organisations in their directory: https://www.ukas.com/find-an-organisation/ All certification bodies should do a similar job, however like with anything, the level of service given can vary.
Costs for certification also vary from certification body to certification body. While cost shouldn’t be the sole determining factor, it is still important to compare the pricing structures of different certification bodies. Ensure you understand what is included in the cost and any additional charges that may apply. You should always get the costs for a three year cycle of audits so that you can get a full comparison.
2SB are consciously not affiliated with any certification body so we can help you select the right certification body to use for your business.
Some popular ISO certification bodies include: