Training on Accreditation Criteria for Management System Certification Bodies - Transition to ISO/IEC 17021


Recent developments in Conformity Assessment practices are bringing about paradigm changes in the way Management Systems certification should be managed. One of the significant drivers for the change is the increasing reliance on competent accredited certification as a major component in Mutual recognition agreements being negotiated among economies. The proliferation of certification bodies on a world wide basis with the attendant questions on credibility and their ability to provide certification impartially, has created the need to raise the bar and to eliminate market practices that are beginning to question the sanctity of the entire system.

Another significant driver is the emergence of several management systems each addressing a significant concern such as environment, human safety, food safety, information security, supply chain security. These have considerably enlarged the scope of conformity assessment, way beyond product quality. Each system requires established competence, as opposed to the 'generalist' auditor initially preferred for the open- mind approach.

In order to meet these concerns in a structured manner, ISO has published ISO/IEC 17021: 2006 : Conformity assessment – Requirements for bodies providing audit and certification of Management Systems, addresses. This international Standard has amalgamated the provisions of ISO/IEC Guides 62 & 66 and the IAF Guidance (GD2 and GD 6) also contains several new requirements such as:

  • threats and treatment of impartiality
  • Competence requirements of Auditors, Audit Team and others involved in the certification process
  • Requirements for Public disclosure of information
  • Requirements for Certification Bodies own Management System

Full implementation of this Standard by September 2008 is expected to raise the standard of certification the major impact of which will be on the ultimate users of products and services provided by the certified organizations.

In order to create common understanding as well as to help in building the required capacity, the Institute of Quality, Confederation of Indian Industry conducted a comprehensive training programme on Accreditation Criteria for Management System Certification Bodies : Transition to ISO/IEC 17021 on the 10 - 11 Sep 2007 at Mumbai. The Workshop was supported by the Quality Council of India.

The programme was attended by 22 participants from Certification bodies in India as well as from Accreditation Board, Bangladesh and the UNIDO.

The programme was lead by Mr Anupam Kaul, Senior Counsellor, CII and Ms Shobha Hegde, independent assessor for NABCB ad NABL. Both faculty have wide experience in conformity assessment practices and had recetly attended the training on ISO 17021 conducted by the Pacific Accreditation Council. The next open programme will be conducted in January 2008. CII offers courses for certification bodies, inspection bodies and laboratories on in-house basis also.

   

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