Market recognition
Accredited certificates that buyers, regulators and scheme owners accept.
Accreditation readiness
ISO/IEC 17065 Product Certification Bodies
Current edition: ISO/IEC 17065:2012
The requirements for bodies that certify products, processes and services, such as food, organic, halal and agricultural schemes. We help certification bodies prepare for accreditation by their national accreditation body.
What the standard covers
Requirements, clause by clause
ISO/IEC 17065 sets requirements for the competence, consistency and impartiality of product certification bodies.
4
General requirements
Legal status, certification agreement, use of marks, impartiality, liability, non-discrimination, confidentiality.
5
Structural requirements
Organisation, top management, mechanism for safeguarding impartiality.
6
Resource requirements
Personnel competence, evaluation resources, outsourcing.
7
Process requirements
Application and its review, evaluation, review of evaluation results, certification decision, surveillance, complaints and appeals.
8
Management system
Option A general requirements or Option B in line with ISO 9001.
Accreditation is assessed against ISO/IEC 17065 together with the requirements of each certification scheme you operate.
Why organisations implement it
What accreditation readiness delivers
Scheme approval
Many scheme owners require ISO/IEC 17065 accreditation of their certification bodies.
Defensible decisions
Separation of evaluation and decision, with clear records.
Protected impartiality
Risks to impartiality identified and managed, with a safeguarding mechanism.
Competent staff
Defined competence criteria and monitoring of evaluators.
Smoother assessment
Fewer findings at the accreditation body's assessment.
How we work
Path to accreditation
One AEC methodology from first assessment to accreditation, delivered by registered lead auditors.
- AssessGap assessment against ISO/IEC 17065 and your schemes
- DesignProcedures, impartiality risk assessment, competence criteria
- ImplementProcesses run on real applications and evaluations
- TrainEvaluators, reviewers and decision makers trained
- VerifyInternal audit, management review, mock assessment
- Accredit & sustainSupport through the accreditation assessment and surveillance
Full build
We design your certification processes and management system from the start.
Typically 9 to 12 monthsAccreditation readiness
We close gaps in your existing processes before you apply.
Typically 6 to 9 monthsScope extension
We prepare new schemes or sites for addition to your accreditation scope.
Typically 3 to 6 months
Who decides
Accreditation by your national accreditation body
Product certification bodies are accredited to ISO/IEC 17065 by national accreditation bodies such as UKAS, DAkkS or PNAC. AEC prepares your organisation for that assessment; the accreditation decision is theirs.
Independent
We prepare you for the accreditation body your market and scheme owners recognise.
Assessment-ready
Mock assessment and closed findings before the accreditation visit.
No guarantees
We prepare you thoroughly and never promise an outcome only an accreditation body can decide.
Where it applies
ISO/IEC 17065 by industry
Food & beverage · food product and halal schemes
Manufacturing · product certification schemes
Government · regulatory certification programmes
Related standards
Questions
ISO/IEC 17065 FAQ
Does AEC accredit certification bodies?
No. Accreditation is granted by national accreditation bodies. AEC prepares your certification body for that assessment.
What is the difference between certification and accreditation?
Certification bodies certify organisations or products. Accreditation bodies assess certification bodies themselves for competence and impartiality. ISO/IEC 17065 is an accreditation standard.
Do scheme owners add their own requirements?
Often, yes. Many scheme owners publish additional requirements for certification bodies. We prepare you against ISO/IEC 17065 and the scheme requirements together.
Can AEC advise a certification body and its clients?
We keep these roles separate. We do not provide consultancy to your certification clients for schemes we have helped you set up, to protect your impartiality.
Prepare for ISO/IEC 17065 accreditation
Tell us your schemes, staff and current processes. We reply with a proposal covering gap assessment, process design and accreditation readiness.
Accreditation decisions are made by national accreditation bodies. AEC prepares organisations for accreditation and does not guarantee outcomes.