International Accreditation

Forum (IAF)
• The IAF is the world association of Conformity
Assessment
Accreditation Bodies and other bodies interested
in conformity assessment in the fields of
management systems, products, services,
personnel and other similar programs of
conformity assessment.
HISTORY
The IAF was formed as a result of the first meeting
of “Organisations that Accredit Quality System
Registrars and Certification programs”, held on 28
January 1993, in Houston, United States.. The
purpose of the IAF was to operate a program for the
accreditation of bodies dealing with conformity
assessment, in order to ensure that certification of
products, processes or services in one region or
country should be accepted in other regions or
countries. Also, through the program the IAF aimed
to ensure that equivalent conformity assessment
procedures used by organisations should be
developed.
Mandate
The primary purpose of IAF is two-fold. Firstly, to ensure that its
accreditation body members only accredit bodies that are competent
to do the work they undertake and are not subject to conflicts of
interest. Secondly, to establish mutual recognition arrangements
(MLA) between its accreditation body members, which reduce risk to
business and its customers by ensuring that an accredited certificate
may be relied upon anywhere in the world. The MLA contributes to
the freedom of world trade by eliminating technical barriers to trade.
IAF works to find the most effective way of achieving a single system
that will allow companies with an accredited conformity assessment
certificate in one part of the world, to have that certificate
recognised elsewhere in the world. The objective of the MLA is that it
will cover all accreditation bodies in all countries in the world, thus
eliminating the need for suppliers of products or services to be
certified in each country where they sell their products or services.
Certified once – accepted everywhere.
HOW TO BECOME A MEMBER?
Accreditation Body Membership of IAF is open to bodies that conduct and
administer programs by which they accredit bodies for certification of quality
systems, products, services, personnel, environmental management systems
as well as other programs of conformity assessment, providing those bodies are
willing to allow their accreditation systems to be used by other IAF Members.
Association Membership is open to organizations or associations representing
the interests within an economy, region or internationally, of a like group of
entities that engage in, are subject to, make use of, accept or rely on,
conformity assessment results from bodies accredited by Accreditation Body
Members of IAF, and which support the purpose of IAF.
Regional Accreditation Group Membership is open to associations of
Accreditation Bodies, and possibly other bodies, that cooperate within an
identified geographic region to establish and maintain a multilateral recognition
agreement based on a peer evaluation system, and represent the interests of
accredited entities, industry, users and similar organizations that engage in, are
subject to, make use of, accept or rely on conformity assessment results from
bodies accredited by Accreditation Body Members of IAF, and which support the
purpose of IAF.
IAF ASSOCIATION MEMBER
• ABCB: Association of British Certification Bodies
• APEDA : Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority
• BDI : Bundesverband der Deutschen Industrie e.V. (Federation of German Industries)
• CGF: The Consumer Goods Forum
• CONFORMA: Association of Certification, Inspection, Testing and Calibration Bodies
• DTA: Dental Trade Alliance
• EFAC: European Federation of Associations of Certification Bodies †
• EOQ: European Organization for Quality
• FAMI-QS: The Quality and Safety System for Specialty Feed Ingredients
• FSSC: Foundation FSSC 22000
• GLOBALGAP: c/o FoodPLUS GmbH †
• IAAR: Independent Association of Accredited Registrars
• IATF: International Automotive Task Force
• IAQG: International Aerospace Quality Group
• IFIA: International Federation of Inspection Agencies Limited
• IIOC: Independent International Organisation for Certification
• IPC: International Personnel Certification Association
• IQNet: The International Certification Network IQNet Association
• JACB : Japan Association of Management System Certification Bodies
• PEFCS: Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification Schemes
• TIA: Telecommunications Industry Association - QuEST Forum Business Community

† Membership temporarily suspended until 30 June 2019 due to failure to meet voting obligations.