What is ISO/IEC 17065 – Requirements and processes for certification bodies about?
ISO/IEC 17065 is an international standard that focuses on conformity assessment and requirements for bodies certifying products, processes and services. ISO/IEC 17065 contains requirements for the competence, consistent operation and impartiality of product, process and service certification bodies.
Note: In ISO/IEC 17065, the term “product” can be read as “process” or “service”, except in those instances where separate provisions are stated for “processes” or “services”.
Who is ISO/IEC 17065 - Requirements and processes for certification bodies for?
ISO/IEC 17065 on conformity assessment and requirements for bodies certifying products, processes and services is useful for:
- Certification bodies
- Governmental authorities
- Non-governmental organizations
- Consumers
Why should you use ISO/IEC 17065 - Requirements and processes for certification bodies?
Certification of products, processes or services is a means of assuring that they comply with specified requirements in standards and other normative documents. Some product, process or service certification schemes may include initial testing or inspection and assessment of its suppliers' quality management systems, followed by surveillance that considers the quality management system and the testing or inspection of samples from the production and the open market.
ISO/IEC 17065 specifies requirements, the observance of which is intended to ensure that certification bodies operate certification schemes in a competent, consistent, and impartial manner, thereby facilitating the recognition of such bodies and the acceptance of certified products, processes and services on a national and international basis and so furthering international trade. ISO/IEC 17065 can be used as a criteria document for accreditation or peer assessment or designation by governmental authorities, scheme owners and others.
The overall aim of ISO/IEC 17065 is to give confidence to all interested parties that a product, process, or service fulfils specified requirements. The value of certification is the degree of confidence and trust that is established by an impartial and competent demonstration of fulfilment of specified requirements by a third party.
