Implementation, Certification, Registration & Accreditation
There is much confusion about the use of the above works in connection with the ISO9000 family.
The definitions relevant to the specifications are:
| Implementation |
The establishing and operating of a Quality Management System within an organisation that meets the requirements of ISO9001:2000 |
| Certification |
The written assurance that an organisation's QMS has been audited by an independent body and conforms to the requirements of ISO9001:2000 |
| Registration |
The recording of the certification by an independent body |
| Accreditation |
The formal recognition (in the UK this is carried out by United Kingdom Accreditation Service - UKAS) of an organisation which offers Certification/Registration |
To summarise - anybody can provide Certification. However, this certificate may lose its validity as far as stakeholders (eg customers) are concerned if it is not issued by an organisation which has been accredited by UKAS. There are currently about 90 such organisations with accreditations for differing marketplaces
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