FAQs

Certification refers to the confirmation of certain characteristics of an object (a product), process, person or organisation.

In most cases, this confirmation is provided by some form of external review, assessment, or audit.

So, an accredited or authorised person or agency assesses and verifies (and attests in writing by issuing a certificate) the attributes, characteristics, quality, qualification, or status of something or someone. The assessment and verification are in accordance with established requirements or standards.

A certificate creates trust. Trust in your products, services, (management) processes and employees. Your certificate enables you to demonstrate that your organisation works efficiently and safely, that you manage the work and work processes and that you strive to be sustainable.

It allows you to reduce risks, improve the quality of your organisation and have more satisfied clients. An independent third party like Kiwa ensures it stays that way.

In addition to creating trust, it can also have the following benefits:

• Certification Means Certainty
• Certification Improves Efficiency
• Certification Fosters Engagement
• Certification Ensures Confidence
• Certification Improves Customer Satisfaction
• Certification is great for Marketing

This kind of certification involves a fully independent assessment declaring that specified requirements pertaining to a product, person, process or management system have been met. The requirements have been independently drawn up by Boards of Experts representing a certain market segment or an association.

The advantage of third-party certification is that you nor your association, but an independent third party assures you and your customers that objective requirements have been met.

On top of certification, there is accreditation. Organisations like IFC Certification that certify third parties are themselves formally accredited. Accreditation is provided by a so-called accreditation body, which acts on behalf of the Government to assess the competence of the Certification and Inspection bodies to conduct their activities in accordance with national and international standards, as defined in the scope of the certification bodies activities.

The accreditation process ensures that certification practices are acceptable, which means a certifier is competent to test and certify third parties, behaves ethically and employs suitable quality assurance.

IFC Certification is UKAS accredited.

Find IFCC on UKAS

https://www.ukas.com

IFC Certification is an Approved Body, and its parent company (Kiwa) are a Notified Body.

An Approved Body or Notified Body is a third-party entity that has been accredited by a Member State to assess whether a product to be placed on the market meets certain standards.

Conformity assessment can include inspection and examination of a product, its design, and the manufacturing environment and processes associated with it.