Last edited 27 Jun 2019

Accreditation

Accreditation is acknowledgement of ability, authority or credibility in a particular field of activity. Accreditation of individuals, tradespeople, companies or societies means they have been certified against official standards by an accrediting body. For example, a roofing company may be accredited by a relevant roofing trade body or association e.g the National Federation of Roofing Contractors (NFRC). The roofing company is then able to tender for business with proof of its competence and to instil confidence in potential clients that it will operate to certain standards. In its marketing documentation it may state that it is 'approved' or ‘accredited’ by the particular body in question to a certain standard in order to tender for new business.

Gaining accreditation may require successfully completing a course, inspection or test to give the accreditation body sufficient evidence to allow it to certify competence and ability in attaining its standards.

Accreditation schemes can offer career-enhancing education and maintain higher standards in a particular sector. They can also give the public greater confidence in the ability of tradespeople and other entities who have gained accreditation.

As well as construction, accreditation processes are used in many other fields, including public relations, higher education institutions, food safety, health care, translating /interpreting accreditation and systems engineering.

[edit] International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO)

External certification bodies carry out certification and issue certificates. ISO Certification is a seal of approval from a 3rd party body that a company operates to internationally recognised ISO management systems. However, ISO itself only develops international standards (e.g ISO 9001, ISO 14001 etc), it does not get involved in certification and does not issue certificates.