The formal, third-party attestation of a conformity assessment body's competence — the highest level of confidence the global quality ecosystem can confer.
UKAB operates in strict accordance with ISO/IEC 17011, the international benchmark for bodies that assess and accredit conformity assessment organisations worldwide.
"Accreditation is the formal recognition by an authoritative body that an organisation is competent to carry out specific tasks — providing independent, impartial assurance to markets, governments, and consumers around the world."
In today's interconnected global economy, buyers, regulators, and governments need assurance that certification, testing, inspection, and calibration results can be trusted — regardless of where in the world they were produced.
Accreditation provides that assurance. It establishes that a conformity assessment body (CAB) has been rigorously evaluated by a third party — UKAB — and found to meet internationally recognised requirements for competence and impartiality.
Unlike certification (which verifies a product or organisation's compliance with a standard), accreditation verifies the competence of the body doing the certifying. It is the trust-behind-the-trust.
Accreditation confirms that a body operates with independence and impartiality — free from commercial or political influence.
01Accredited results are accepted internationally, reducing technical barriers and duplicated testing across borders.
02UKAB maintains multilateral recognition arrangements, linking its accreditations to global acceptance networks.
03UKAB accreditation signals that your certificates hold the same value in London as they do in Tokyo or Toronto.
04UKAB's accreditation process is rigorous, structured, and continuous — providing permanent assurance, not a one-time certificate.
The conformity assessment body submits a formal application defining the scope of accreditation it is seeking — specific standards, sectors, and technical activities.
UKAB's technical team conducts a thorough review of the applicant's quality manual, procedures, personnel qualifications, and facilities against the relevant international standard.
A team of qualified UKAB assessors performs a detailed on-site evaluation — witnessing activities, reviewing records, and interviewing key technical personnel.
Once accreditation is granted, UKAB conducts ongoing surveillance assessments and periodic re-accreditations to ensure continuing competence and compliance.
Accreditation is only meaningful when it is granted by a body that is itself beyond reproach. UKAB is an independent, impartial, and non-governmental organisation — it makes no claim to be connected with any government and holds no commercial interest in the bodies it accredits.
Each accreditation decision is made by a panel representing the broad range of stakeholders across industry, government, and consumer communities. Potential conflicts of interest are identified and removed at every stage.
UKAB's technical officers and evaluators receive rigorous ongoing professional training, ensuring that assessment teams bring the highest level of domain expertise to every evaluation.
UKAB's accreditation programmes are anchored in the most rigorous international frameworks — ensuring that every accreditation we grant carries genuine global currency.
The governing standard for all accreditation bodies. Defines the criteria UKAB itself must meet to operate with integrity and competence.
Underpins accreditation of certification bodies operating ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 45001 and other management system standards.
The benchmark for laboratory competence, ensuring that test and calibration results are technically valid and internationally accepted.
Defines requirements for inspection bodies across all sectors — ensuring independent, professional, and consistent inspection activities.
Governs the accreditation of bodies that certify individuals — auditors, inspectors, and technical personnel — ensuring their competence is independently verified.
These two terms are frequently confused. Understanding their relationship is essential for navigating the quality assurance landscape.
Accreditation is granted by UKAB to a conformity assessment body (e.g. a certification or inspection company). It confirms that the body itself is competent, impartial, and technically capable of carrying out its stated activities.
Certification is granted by a certification body (CAB) to an organisation. It confirms that the organisation's management system, product, or service conforms to a specified standard — such as ISO 9001 or ISO 14001.
Join hundreds of conformity assessment bodies that trust UKAB's rigorous, internationally recognised accreditation to unlock global markets and demonstrate uncompromising quality.