ASCB's position
ASCB is an independent, standards-based accreditation body. It has operated to ISO/IEC 17011, the international standard for accreditation bodies, since 1995, accrediting certification bodies and other conformity assessment bodies against the standards written for their activity, on a periodic, risk-based basis. More than 230 conformity assessment bodies have been accredited by ASCB, and the organizations they certify span more than 140 countries.
What distinguishes ASCB is the direct, consistent application of the published international standards, without proprietary schemes or non-standard criteria, sustained over three decades of continuous operation.
Membership of international cooperation bodies
ASCB is not a member of, or signatory to, the International Accreditation Forum (IAF), the International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (ILAC) or Global Accreditation Cooperation Incorporated (Global ACI). There is no requirement in the ISO/IEC accreditation standards for an accreditation body to hold such membership. Whether a certificate is accepted for a particular purpose, such as procurement or regulation, depends on the requirements set by the buyer, scheme or authority involved, not on membership of any one body.
How to confirm that ASCB accreditation is acceptable for a particular purpose is covered in Authority and recognition. Further information about ASCB, its accreditation scope and standards is available from ASCB or via ascb.com.