Eqras | Standarts | ISO/IEC 17021 Certification Bodies for Management Systems
The certification of management systems is an important factor in areas as diverse as occupational safety, the environment or energy. The goals in each case are comparable: ensure quality, achieve improvement. The requirements applicable to these activities are set out in ISO/IEC 17021-1, the international standard for certification bodies for management systems.
Tasks and objectives of the certification of management systems
Management systems support organisations in approaching their work methodically and in achieving their goals through clear structures and defined processes. This approach helps to optimise internal processes, minimise risks or meet customer expectations more systematically.
Many enterprises, from the manufacturing industry to the service sector, therefore choose to have an independent third party assess whether they are in compliance with the standardised requirements for a management system. This attestation is the responsibility of certification bodies for management systems.
Certification bodies for management systems can have their own competence assessed in an accreditation procedure. The requirements of ISO/IEC 17021 constitute the basis for this. This global standard sets out the general and specific requirements, in terms of independence, structure, resources and processes that these certification bodies must meet in order to be classified as competent and impartial. Accreditation on the basis of ISO/IEC 17021 therefore promotes recognition of such bodies and acceptance of their certifications at the national and international level, as well as in world trade.
Benefits and areas of application of certified management systems
Certification bodies for management systems offer their services both across sectors, in the areas of quality, environment, energy, IT security or occupational health and safety, and on a sector-specific basis in the food or health sectors.
For companies, drawing on the services of an accredited certifier not only offers more certainty in terms of being able to trust a professional service provider – in some industries, certification by an accredited body is in fact a prerequisite for acquiring new markets.
Numerous certifications of management systems can be accredited, including:
- Quality management systems (ISO 9001)
- Energy management systems (ISO 50001)
- Environmental management systems (ISO 14001)
- Information security management system (ISO 27001)
- Anti-bribery management systems (ISO 37001)
- Food safety management systems (ISO 22000, FSSC 22000, etc.)
- Occupational health and safety management system (ISO 45001
- Company health management