How To Check The Authenticity of your ISO Certificate?

ISO certification is a trademark of quality in the world today. They give us world-class specifications for products, services and systems, to ensure quality, safety and efficiency.

But in industry there are lots of fake organizations which are providing fake certifications. The customers pay for a certificate which is not even authentic. The certificates issued for ISO 9001 certifications and other system standards have become just a piece of paper which is being printed and given to the organizations without any audit/verification if the system is being implemented or not. These activities are done by few certification bodies accredited by IAF/Non-IAF board. These few people have ruined the value of these wonderful management system standards. The people dealing in this type of certificate fools the people in various ways. To avoid such fraud, check the authenticity of your certificate.

So how to check the authenticity of your certification body and your ISO certificate?

1. Check if your certificate has an accreditation logo (e.g. JAS-ANZ, DAC, NABCB.Etc.) and an IAF mark.

2. Check if the certification body is accredited. Accreditation provides the independent confirmation of competence. To find an accredited certification body, visit the International Accreditation Forum at  http://www.iaf.nu/.
The IAF is the world association of Conformity Assessment Accreditation Bodies and other bodies interested in conformity assessment in the fields of management systems, products, services, personnel, and other similar programmes of conformity assessment. Its primary function is to develop a single worldwide program of conformity assessment that reduces the risk for businesses and its customers by assuring them that accredited certificates may be relied upon. Accreditation assures users of the competence and impartiality of the body accredited.

3. Check the status of the certificate on the on the registrar website (accreditation body). You can also call the certification body directly and ask them to verify that they have issued such a certificate.

ISO Certificate is a valuable possession to the organization and it should be earned by proper implementation of the system. Nevertheless, there are various implications of using a fake certificate. It ruins your image in the market which leads loss of business.