Who audits the auditors?

29 June, 2020

We often get asked ‘who audits the auditors?’ and it’s an important question, especially when it comes to the credibility of ISO certifications.

Anyone could create a certificate for any ISO Standard, but is it meaningful?

How to verify legitimacy

UKAS Accreditation logo

For Accredited ISO Certification there is a really easy way to answer this, as shown in this example of our own ISO 27001 certificate, starting at the bottom with some vital logos!

** Is there a UKAS “Tick and Crown”, complete with a unique Accreditation number? **

In this case “003” is shown as BSI’s unique number – the Schedule for this can be verified via the UKAS (i.e. UK Accreditation Service) website.

The UKAS Schedule shows which ISO Standards UKAS have assessed (and continue to assess) BSI for, and awarded them ‘Accredited’ status.

So, when BSI assess (and continue to assess) Teamwork IMS, BSI confirm that our ‘UKAS Accredited Certification’ continues.

International Accreditation Forum logo

Alongside the UKAS logo, you’ll also find the logo for the International Accreditation Forum (IAF) which is the worldwide association for Conformity Assessment Accreditation Bodies.

The IAF provides the framework for which UKAS is regulated and mutually recognised by equivalent worldwide Assessment Accreditation Bodies.

Need help with ISO Certification?

If you need help with your ISO Certification Project, don’t hesitate to get in touch with our team is ready to help guide you through the process.