Accreditation is the independent evaluation of conformity assessment bodies against recognised standards to ensure their impartiality and competence to carry out specific activities, such as tests, calibrations, inspections and certifications.
Through the application of national and international standards, government, procurers and consumers can have confidence in the calibration and test results, inspection reports, certifications, and validation and verification statements provided.
Accreditation bodies are established in many countries with the primary purpose of ensuring that conformity assessment bodies are subject to oversight by an authoritative body.
Conformity assessment is the demonstration that what is being supplied actually meets the requirements specified or claimed. Conformity assessment can be applied to a product or a service, a process, a system, a claim, an organisation or persons and includes activities such as testing, inspection, certification, validation and verification.
Demonstrating compliance with standards and other criteria assumes greater importance to consumer confidence as products and services become increasingly technically complex. Conformity assessment is therefore an indispensable part of an economy’s business and standards and conformance infrastructure.
An accreditation body is an authoritative body that performs accreditation. In some instances, its authority is derived from government.
Its primary function is to assess, against internationally agreed standards, conformity assessment bodies providing services such as certification, testing, inspection, validation and verification. Accreditation demonstrates the competence, impartiality and performance capability of these organisations.
An organisation that performs certification, testing, calibration, inspection and other conformity assessment services can seek accreditation. An accredited body has demonstrated that it fully meets the requirements of relevant national and international standards.
The criteria for determining a certification body’s competence are based on the relevant national or international standard (such as ISO/IEC 17065, ISO/IEC 17021-1 or ISO/IEC 17025) and may include: the qualifications required, knowledge and skills, training and experience of staff; appropriate equipment that is properly calibrated and maintained; adequate quality assurance procedures; and appropriate sampling practices.
Accredited bodies can be private or government owned, and can range in size from sole traders to large multi-disciplinary, multi-site organisations.
Certification is a ‘third-party attestation related to an object of conformity assessment, with the exception of accreditation,’ as defined by ISO/IEC 17000 Conformity Assessment – Vocabulary and General Principles.
Certification programs exist for a range of management systems standards, including the ISO/IEC 27001 program for information security management, the ISO 22000 program for food safety management, the ISO 50001 program for energy management, and the ISO 45001 program for occupational health and safety management.
Organisations may also be certified for private sector schemes, such as FAMI-QS, FSSC 22000, IPC Management System Auditors, ICAO CORSIA or GLOBALG.A.P. IFA.
Product certification is the process of verifying that a product, including services and processes, meets requirements specified in contracts, regulations or specifications.
Personnel certification is the process of confirming that an individual has the necessary experience, knowledge, skills or other attributes to fulfil requirements.
In most countries, accreditation is voluntary, however, many certification bodies choose to seek accreditation in order to demonstrate third-party confirmation of their competence.
Testing is a ‘determination of one or more characteristics of an object of conformity assessment, according to a procedure,’ as defined by ISO/IEC 17000 Conformity Assessment – Vocabulary and General Principles.
Testing is carried out by laboratories to verify that products, materials, systems or services meet specified requirements. This may involve physical, chemical or biological analysis depending on the sector.
Medical testing laboratories perform diagnostic tests to support healthcare decisions and must meet high standards of accuracy and reliability.
Many testing and medical laboratories seek accreditation to standards such as ISO/IEC 17025 or ISO 15189, to demonstrate their technical competence and ensure confidence in their results.
Inspection is the ‘examination of an object of conformity assessment and determination of its conformity with detailed requirements or, on the basis of professional judgement, with general requirements,’ as defined in ISO/IEC 17000 Conformity Assessment – Vocabulary and General Principles.
Inspection activities are carried out by inspection bodies, which may assess a wide range of objects, including materials, equipment, structures, systems or services. Inspections can occur at various stages during design, manufacturing, installation or in-service use.
Many inspection bodies seek accreditation to ISO/IEC 17020 to demonstrate their impartiality, competence and consistent operation, and to build confidence in the reliability of their findings.
Validation is the ‘confirmation of plausibility for a specific intended use or application through the provision of objective evidence that specified requirements have been fulfilled,’ as defined in ISO/IEC 17000 Conformity Assessment – Vocabulary and General Principles.
Validation establishes that a product, process or system fulfills its intended purpose and meets the needs of its intended users. It ensures that a product operates effectively and reliably in its intended environment.
Verification is the ‘confirmation of truthfulness through the provision of objective evidence that specified requirements have been fulfilled,’ as defined in ISO/IEC 17000 Conformity Assessment – Vocabulary and General Principles.
Verification establishes that a product, process or system complies with specified requirements or design specifications. It confirms conformity with predetermined criteria, ensuring that a product has been built correctly according to its design.
Validation and verification are integral components of conformity assessment, providing assurance of quality, safety and regulatory compliance across diverse sectors. These processes are also applied to claims related to environmental performance and sustainability.
Validation and verification bodies may seek accreditation to ISO/IEC 17029, which contains general principles and requirements for the competence, consistent operation and impartiality of bodies performing validation and verification.
Calibration is the process of establishing the relationship between the values indicated by a measuring instrument or system and the corresponding known values provided by a reference standard. It ensures the accuracy and reliability of measurements by comparing them against recognised benchmarks under specified conditions.
Calibration is essential in maintaining measurement traceability and consistency across laboratories, industries and international borders. It applies to a wide range of instruments, including thermometers, pressure gauges, balances, spectrometers and dimensional tools.
Calibration laboratories may seek accreditation to ISO/IEC 17025, which specifies general requirements for the competence of testing and calibration laboratories.
Proficiency testing (PT) is the evaluation of participant performance against pre-established criteria by means of interlaboratory comparisons.
PT providers organise comparative testing schemes that allow laboratories to assess the accuracy and reliability of their results. By analysing the same samples and comparing results across multiple laboratories, proficiency testing helps identify errors, improve performance and ensure consistent quality.
The laboratories, and in some cases inspection bodies, that are assessed and accredited by the accreditation bodies that are members of Global ACI participate in proficiency testing as a requirement for maintaining their accreditation. Many PT providers seek accreditation to ISO/IEC 17043, which specifies the general requirements for the competence and impartiality of PT providers.
Biobanking is the process of acquiring, processing, storing and distributing biological materials for use in research, diagnosis or therapeutic development. Biobanks play a critical role in supporting biomedical research and public health surveillance by ensuring the availability of high-quality, well-characterised biological samples.
Many biobanks seek accreditation to ISO 20387, which specifies general requirements for the competence, impartiality and consistent operation of biobanks. Accreditation to ISO 20387 provides assurance to stakeholders that biological materials and associated data are managed competently and ethically, supporting confidence in downstream research and clinical applications.
What are the expected outcomes for accredited certification to ISO 9001 and ISO 14001?
Conformity assessment results from a conformity assessment body (CAB) that has been accredited by an accreditation body that is a Full Member of Global ACI, i.e. a signatory to the Global ACI Mutual Recognition Arrangement (MRA), will be accepted by all the Global ACI MRA signatories. However, even though a CAB that has been accredited by an Global ACI MRA signatory is more likely to have its results accepted in a foreign market, there is still no guarantee that these results will be accepted by other parties within that market, as the work in ensuring governments and regulators understand the nature of both accreditation and the acceptance of results via the Global ACI MRA is ongoing.
In many economies the government, regulators and specifiers accept the results from CABs accredited by accreditation bodies that are signatories to the Global ACI MRA without further conformity assessment activities. This however cannot be mandated by Global ACI. In addition, you will need to consider whether goods are tested or inspected to a particular standard that is recognised or specified in the foreign market. Many economies have specific requirements for the conformity assessment of imported goods that must be met before the goods are accepted in their marketplace. It would be best to contact the relevant regulatory bodies in the economies where you are exporting to, for information on their national requirements and legislation regarding the acceptance of conformity assessment results.
The list of all accreditation bodies that are members of Global ACI (including Associate Members and Full Members), by economy, is available here. Note that not all accreditation bodies that are members of Global ACI are also signatories to the Global ACI MRA, and therefore the results from their accredited CABs may not be recognised in other economies.
Global ACI is a global network of accreditation bodies and other organisations involved in conformity assessment activities. Its key roles include:
Global ACI became operational on 01 January 2026, replacing the International Accreditation Forum (IAF) and the International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (ILAC). For more information about this process, refer to the X section of the FAQ.
Global ACI has four membership categories:
Individuals and individual conformity assessment bodies are unable to become a member of Global ACI directly but may be able to join one of the associations that are a Stakeholder Member of Global ACI.
If your organisation is interested in Global ACI membership, please review the associated membership criteria in Global ACI GOV-002 General Rules before contacting the Global ACI Secretariat.
The roles and responsibilities of Global ACI members, the Executive Committee and the Secretary are defined by the Global ACI Constitution and General Rules. The highest level of authority in Global ACI is members in a General Assembly.
Between General Assembly meetings, Global ACI is governed by the Executive Committee, which is accountable to Global ACI members for the advancement of Global ACI’s purposes, its objectives and the implementation of resolutions approved by the General Assembly. The operations of all Global ACI committees and sub-committees are subject to the Global ACI General Rules.
The benefits of Global ACI membership include the opportunity to:
Global ACI maintains various public documents aimed at guiding policy implementation, promoting best practices, and supporting the effective functioning of accreditation bodies and conformity assessment bodies. These documents are regularly reviewed and updated to remain current and in alignment with Global ACI’s vision.
Some Global ACI documents contain mandatory requirements, while others are available for advisory or informative purposes.
The categories are as follows: Global ACI Documents
Global ACI encourages the use of its publications and brochures by organisations wishing to use such material for areas related to education, standardisation, accreditation, improving the acceptance of the Global ACI Mutual Recognition Arrangement (MRA) or other purposes relevant to Global ACI’s area of expertise or endeavour.
Global ACI’s publications and brochures may be printed or distributed in full without need for formal permission from Global ACI.
Organisations seeking permission to reproduce material from Global ACI’s documents must contact the Global ACI Secretariat. The request for permission should clearly detail:
The document in which the reproduced material appears must contain a statement acknowledging Global ACI’s contribution to the document. Global ACI’s permission to reproduce its material only extends as far as detailed in the original request. Any variation to the stated use of the Global ACI material must be notified in advance in writing to Global ACI for additional permission.
Global ACI itself does not assess and accredit conformity assessment bodies (CABs). Instead, the accreditation bodies that are Full Members of Global ACI, i.e. signatories to the Global ACI Mutual Recognition Arrangement (MRA), have been peer evaluated to assess and accredit testing laboratories (using ISO/IEC 17025), calibration laboratories (using ISO/IEC 17025), inspection bodies (using ISO/IEC 17020), management system certification bodies (using ISO/IEC 17021-1), product certification bodies (using ISO/IEC 17065), medical testing laboratories (using ISO 15189), proficiency testing providers (using ISO/IEC 17043), persons certification bodies (using ISO/IEC 17024), validation/verification bodies (using ISO/IEC 17029), reference material producers (using ISO 17034), and biobanking facilities (using ISO 20387). CABs that have been accredited by the Global ACI MRA signatories against the relevant international standards are able to be recognised internationally under the Global ACI MRA.
If you would like the accreditation of your CAB to be recognised internationally under the Global ACI MRA, you should contact an accreditation body that is a Global ACI MRA signatory for the relevant accreditation activities. The Global ACI MRA signatory page provides the contact details for accreditation body signatories.
Note that not all accreditation bodies that are members of Global ACI are also signatories to the Global ACI MRA, and therefore the results from their accredited CABs may not be recognised in other economies. The list of all accreditation bodies that are members of Global ACI (including Associate Members and Full Members), by economy, is available here.
Global ACI itself does not undertake conformity assessment activities such as calibration, testing, inspection, certification or validation/verification, and therefore Global ACI itself does not issue conformity assessment certificates, reports or statements.
Instead, conformity assessment bodies that have been assessed and accredited against the relevant international standards by the accreditation bodies that are Full Members of Global ACI, i.e. signatories to the Global ACI Mutual Recognition Arrangement (MRA), undertake various conformity assessment activities as defined in their scope of accreditation. The accreditation bodies that are signatories to the Global ACI MRA for the relevant accreditation activities agree to accept the results of each other’s accredited conformity assessment bodies. Therefore, the results from the conformity assessment bodies accredited by Global ACI MRA signatories are able to be recognised internationally under the Global ACI MRA.
The accreditation bodies are responsible for maintaining the list of conformity assessment bodies that they have accredited. If you would like to find an accredited conformity assessment body that is recognised internationally under the Global ACI MRA, then it would best to contact an accreditation body that is a signatory to the Global ACI MRA. Alternatively, you can search the accreditation body’s online directory of accredited conformity assessment bodies on their website.
The list of all accreditation bodies that are members of Global ACI (including Associate Members and Full Members), by economy, is available here. In many cases, a link to the accreditation body’s online directory of accredited conformity assessment bodies is also provided with the accreditation body’s contact details.
Note that not all accreditation bodies that are members of Global ACI are also signatories to the Global ACI MRA, and therefore the results from their accredited CABs may not be recognised in other economies.
Please note that the design and use of the Global ACI Logo is different to the Global ACI MRA Mark. Refer to Global ACI MS-006 Rules for the Use of the Global ACI Logo and Tagline and Global ACI MRA-006 Use of the MRA Mark and Claims of Accreditation Status by Accredited Conformity Assessment Bodies, available from the Documents section of the Global ACI website.
Global ACI Logo and Tagline
Global ACI members that have signed the Global ACI MS-006 – Annex 1 Declaration Form for the Use of the Global ACI Logo and Tagline are able to use the Global ACI Logo in accordance with Global ACI MS-006.
Conformity assessment bodies (CABs) are not able to use the Global ACI Logo.
Global ACI MRA Mark
Accreditation bodies that are Full Members of Global ACI, signatories to the Global ACI Mutual Recognition Arrangement (MRA), must sign the Global ACI Agreement for the Use of the Global ACI MRA Mark to use the Global ACI MRA Mark. The Global ACI MRA signatories that have signed this agreement are able to use the Global ACI MRA Mark in combination with their logo, i.e. the ‘Combined Global ACI MRA Mark’, for accreditation activities covered by the scope of their Global ACI MRA signatory status.
CABs that are accredited by the Global ACI MRA signatories must obtain permission from their accreditation body to use the Global ACI MRA Mark. Accredited CABs that have obtained permission are able to use the Global ACI MRA Mark in combination with the Global ACI MRA signatory’s accreditation symbol that the accredited CAB is entitled to use, i.e. the ‘Accredited CAB Combined Global ACI MRA Mark’. Accredited CABs must contact the Global ACI MRA signatory that provided their accreditation in order to obtain permission to use the ‘Accredited CAB Combined Global ACI MRA Mark’.
Global ACI generally does not engage directly with governments of specific economies and their associated regulators, as this activity is undertaken by the individual accreditation bodies that are members of Global ACI in their respective economy.
However, Global ACI does have a range of information and brochures which can be used by members of the public available here.
If you would like further assistance with engaging with a government or regulator regarding the acceptance of results under the Global ACI Mutual Recognition Arrangement (MRA), then it would be best to contact the accreditation bodies in that economy as they may have an existing relationship with the government or regulators in their economy.
The Global ACI MRA signatory page provides the contact details for all the accreditation bodies that are signatories to the Global ACI MRA.
Global ACI as an organisation is not a proficiency testing provider (PTP) and does not participate in or organise proficiency testing programs and inter-laboratory comparison tests.
The laboratories, and in some cases inspection bodies, that are assessed and accredited by the accreditation bodies that are members of Global ACI participate in proficiency testing as a requirement for maintaining their accreditation. Many of the accreditation bodies that are members of Global ACI accredit PTP and are a signatory to the Global ACI MRA for the accreditation of PTP using ISO/IEC 17043. These accreditation bodies will be able to provide the contact details for an accredited PTP for the PT programs you are interested in. The list of signatories to the Global ACI MRA is available here.
In addition, you can search the European Information System on Proficiency Testing Schemes EPTIS database of PT schemes.
Global ACI as an organisation is not a reference material producer (RMP).
The facilities that produce reference materials are assessed and accredited by the accreditation bodies that are members of Global ACI. Many of the accreditation bodies that are members of Global ACI accredit RMP and are a signatory to the Global ACI MRA for the accreditation of RMP using ISO 17034. These accreditation bodies will be able to provide the contact details for an accredited RMP for the reference materials you are interested in. The list of signatories to the Global ACI MRA is available here.
Global ACI members are able to access the members’ area of the Global ACI website to obtain committee documents, technical resources and other information.
The Global ACI Secretariat issues access to the members’ area of the Global ACI website to the approved representatives of Global ACI members. Please contact the Global ACI Secretariat if you are a representative of a Global ACI member and would like access to the members’ area of the Global ACI website.
Individuals and organisations that are not a Global ACI member are unable to access the members’ area of the Global ACI website.
Global ACI treats any complaints with the utmost concern and will deal with them expeditiously and in confidence.
In the first instance, complaints against a conformity assessment body should be lodged with that particular organisation. If the complainant is not satisfied that the investigating body’s complaints handling procedures were followed, the complainant has the right to refer the matter to the relevant accreditation body. If the complaint still cannot be resolved, then the complaint should be referred to the relevant Regional Cooperation Body, and then to Global ACI.
Anyone wishing to submit a complaint should do so by emailing the relevant details to the Global ACI Secretary together with any necessary documentation required to substantiate the complaint.
The Global ACI process for dealing with complaints is outlined in Global ACI MS-004 Procedures for Handling Disputes, Complaints, and Appeals, which can be downloaded here.
Purchasers wishing to confirm the validity of an accredited certificate, report or statement should refer in the first instance to the conformity assessment body (CAB) shown on the document. If the address or website of the CAB is unknown, this can be found from an internet search or from the accreditation body whose mark should also be found on the certificate.
The list of all accreditation bodies that are Global ACI Multilateral Recognition Arrangement (MRA) signatories is available here. In many cases, a link to the accreditation body’s online directory of accredited conformity assessment bodies is also provided with the accreditation body’s contact details.
The IAF CertSearch database (https://www.iafcertsearch.org/) is a global database where users can search and validate the status of accredited management systems certificates issued by certification bodies accredited by Global ACI MRA signatories under the main scope ISO/IEC 17021-1.
A list of Global ACI Multilateral Recognition Arrangement (MRA) signatories can be found in Recognised Accreditation Bodies and Recognised Regional Cooperation Bodies.
Full contact details are also provided.
Selecting the right organisation to carry out your testing, certification, inspection or other conformity assessment activity can be fraught with unknowns. A conformity assessment body (CAB) that has been accredited by an accreditation body that is a signatory to the Global ACI Multilateral Recognition Arrangement (MRA) has proven that it complies with best practice. It is competent to deliver a consistently reliable, impartial and accurate service which meets the appropriate, internationally-recognised standard.
Using an accredited CAB can:
The Global ACI Multilateral Recognition Arrangement (MRA) provides governments and regulatory agencies with a credible and robust framework on which to further develop and enhance government-to-government bilateral and multilateral international trade agreements.
It represents an internationally recognised ‘stamp of approval’ to demonstrate compliance against agreed standards and requirements. Consequently, risk is minimised, as decisions will be based on reliable conformity assessment results.
Many specifiers, such as government agencies, have recognised the importance of credible accreditation programs that are developed against internationally recognised standards. Accreditation and the Global ACI MRA help regulators meet their own legislated responsibilities by providing a globally recognised system to accept accredited testing, certification, inspection, validation, verification and other conformity assessment activities.
The longer-term aim is the fully accepted use and recognition, by both public and private industries, of accredited conformity assessment results, including certificates, reports and statements from other economies. In this way, the free-trade goal of ‘accredited once, accepted everywhere’ will be realised.
Accreditation bodies in many economies publish hardcopy or online lists or directories of the conformity assessment bodies that they have accredited, together with conformity assessment body contact details and information on their scope.
The list of all accreditation bodies that are members of Global ACI (including Associate Members and Full Members), by economy, is available here. In many cases, a link to the accreditation body’s online directory of accredited conformity assessment bodies is also provided with the accreditation body’s contact details.
Accreditation bodies, which have been evaluated by peers as competent, have signed an arrangement, the Global ACI Multilateral Recognition Arrangement (MRA), that enhances the acceptance of goods and services across national borders.
The purpose of the MRA is to ensure mutual recognition of accredited conformity assessment activities such as certification, testing, inspection, validation and verification between signatories to the MRA, and subsequently acceptance of accredited conformity assessment in many markets based on one accreditation.
Signatories must recognise and support acceptance of certificates, reports and statements issued by organisations accredited by all other signatories of the MRA, provided the certificates, reports or statements are issued within the scope of the IAF MLA signatory.
This recognition and acceptance removes technical barriers to trade (TBT) by reducing redundant conformity assessment.
Accreditations granted by IAF MLA signatories can be recognised worldwide based on their equivalent accreditation programs, reducing costs and adding value to business and consumers.
The scope of the Global ACI Multilateral Recognition Arrangement (MRA) includes two components, main scope and sub-scope.
Currently there are eleven main scopes in the Global ACI MRA: Testing, medical testing, calibration, certification of management systems, certification of persons, certification of products, inspection, validation and verification, proficiency testing provision, reference material production and biobanking.
Sub-scopes are divided into two categories (Level 4 and Level 5), as described in section 4 of Global ACI MRA-001: Multilateral Recognition Arrangement: Structure, Scope and Obligations.
A list of scopes currently endorsed by Global ACI is available at the following link
This website contains comprehensive information on the Global ACI MRA structure, process and signatories. Further information is available under the Global ACI MRA and Global ACI MRA Signatories tabs.
Global ACI publishes an annual report which can be downloaded from the Promotional Documents section that details ongoing activities to maintain the integrity and consistency of the Global ACI MRA.
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