Understand how accredited consulting supports your accreditation journey, which services are in scope, and how IQAF-aligned consulting offices work with international standards.
1- WHAT IS ACCREDITED CONSULTING?
Accredited consulting is a service that provides professional guidance to organizations during the accreditation process, which aims to document an organization's compliance with specific standards and requirements.
The main objectives of this type of consulting are:
- To inform organizations about accreditation conditions and requirements
- To organize and manage the preparation phase
- To support them in overcoming potential challenges that may arise during the audit process
WHAT IS AN ACCREDITED CONSULTING OFFICE?
Accredited consulting offices are consulting firms that operate in the areas of compliance with national and international standards (e.g., ISO), certification, training, or technical competence, and have been audited and officially authorized by an accreditation body.
- These organizations prove the reliability, impartiality, and international validity of the services they offer through their accreditation certificates.
The prominent features of accredited consulting offices are:
- Competence: They possess high technical knowledge and experience in areas such as quality management systems, occupational health and safety (OHS), environment, and personnel certification.
- Compliance with Standards: They conduct their work in accordance with the rules set by IQAF (International Quality Accreditation Forum) or similar international, impartial, and independent accreditation bodies.
- Reliability: The results of their services are internationally recognized and accepted.
- Continuous Auditing: They are organizations that are regularly audited and approved by accreditation bodies.
Accredited consulting offices undertake the following tasks:
- Guiding companies in implementing standard management systems such as ISO 9001, ISO 14001, and ISO 27001.
- Organizing and managing the certification processes of businesses.
- It provides support in specialized areas such as personnel certification (e.g., ISO 17024).
In short, an accredited consulting office manages the certification processes for your business with a professional approach, minimizing the risk of errors and guaranteeing a valid process.
2- SCOPE OF ACCREDITED CONSULTING SERVICES
Accredited consulting services offer a comprehensive planning and implementation process for organizations to successfully complete their accreditation processes and maintain these accreditations. This service includes the following key steps, tailored to the needs of different sectors:
- Current situation analysis: Detailed evaluation of the organization's current structure and processes.
- Preparation process: Establishing the necessary infrastructure for accreditation and working to address any deficiencies.
- Compliance with standards: Developing and implementing procedures in accordance with the relevant standard.
- Internal audits and development plans: Monitoring processes within the organization, evaluating performance, and identifying opportunities for improvement.
- Application and approval process: Preparing and submitting all necessary documents for accreditation to the authorized institution and following up on the process.
- Continuous monitoring and improvement: Regularly reviewing processes after accreditation to ensure their sustainability.
These stages enable organizations not only to obtain accreditation but also to develop business models that comply with quality, environmental, information security, and sector-specific requirements.
3- SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTED CONSULTING SERVICES INCLUDE:
- ISO Management Systems: Support for the establishment and certification of management systems compliant with standards such as ISO 9001 (Quality), ISO 14001 (Environment), ISO 27001 (Information Security), and ISO 22000 (Food Safety).
- Sectoral Accreditation: Sector-specific solution-oriented services such as SAS accreditation for healthcare organizations and program accreditation for educational institutions.
- Risk and Process Management: Analysis and effective management of risks faced by the organization in terms of impartiality, accuracy, and reliability.
- Documentation and Training: Preparation of corporate procedures, meeting personnel training needs, and conducting internal audit activities.
- Technical Accreditation: Establishment of the necessary infrastructure for testing and calibration laboratories (ISO 17025) and inspection bodies (ISO 17020).
These comprehensive services help organizations operate in compliance with global standards while supporting their continuous improvement.
4- ACCREDITATION PROCESS: Accreditation
Accreditation is a formal approval mechanism that proves an organization operates in accordance with specific standards and is sufficient in terms of impartiality, reliability, and technical competence. This process is carried out by nationally or internationally recognized independent accreditation bodies.
- Receipt of application form and sample documents
- Review and evaluation process
- Payment of fee if found suitable
- Approval of certification processes
Accreditation Document Fee Tariff:
- Accredited Consulting Office Document Fee: $75
- Accredited Consultant Fee: $75
Note: For more than one consultant working in the same office, an additional fee of +$25 will be charged for each additional consultant.
5- SOME ADVANTAGES OF OBTAINING ACCREDITED CONSULTING SERVICES ARE:
- Professionalism and reliability: Accreditation demonstrates that consultants meet specific standards, thus increasing credibility.
- Effective solutions: Consultants offer appropriate and customized solutions to the problems businesses face.
- Competitive advantage: Professional consulting support allows businesses to gain an advantage over their competitors.
- Institutional image and marketing contribution: Accreditation strengthens an institution's reputation while also positively contributing to its marketing efforts.
If you are considering obtaining accredited consulting services, it is important to choose individuals whose competence has been approved by the relevant institutions, who have strong knowledge of regulations, and who are experts in support programs.
6- ACCREDITATION CONSULTANCY IS A BROAD SERVICE AREA ENCOMPASSING THE REQUIREMENTS OF MANY DIFFERENT STANDARDS. THE MOST COMMON OF THESE STANDARDS ARE:
- ISO 17020: General requirements for inspection bodies.
- ISO 17021: Requirements for auditing and certification of management systems.
- ISO 17024: General requirements for personnel certification bodies.
- ISO 17025: Competence requirements for testing and calibration laboratories.
- ISO 17065: Requirements for organizations performing product, process and service certification.
In addition to these, accreditation consultancy offers comprehensive support in various fields such as product, personnel, and system certification, inspection, and laboratory services.
